Israeli Army Evacuates Outpost Structures After Mass Settler Protest

Israeli military forces evacuated several structures at a West Bank outpost Friday morning, after allowing thousands of settlers to come to the site to protest the dismantling of an illegal yeshiva there.

Border Police said at least six structures that were erected in Homesh over the past week had been evacuated. Settlers claimed that some of the structures were built several weeks ago. The yeshiva was not evacuated.

A week ago, Palestinian gunmen shot and killed settler and Homesh yeshiva student Yehuda Dimentman near Homesh. Following the ambush, dozens of settlers remained at the outpost, and at the beginning of the week IDF forces were attacked there by settlers.

Homesh had its residents evicted as part of Israel's 2005 disengagement plan, and Israelis are banned from staying within its bounds. The illegal Homesh yeshiva, which is located between several Palestinian villages, is operated by settlers.

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Temporary structures in the area are routinely demolished by police and army forces.

On Thursday, right-wing activists marched from the nearby settlement of Shavei Shomron to Homesh to protest plans to dismantle the yeshiva.

Following Thursday's march, clashes broke out between the army and local Palestinians, some of whom own land by Homesh.

Later, Palestinians in the nearby village of Burqa said they were attacked by settlers, who reportedly hurled stones at two houses in the village and physically assaulted residents. One Palestinian resident was hospitalized.