Two Israeli Soldiers Report Settlers for Attacking Them Near West Bank Outpost

An Israeli officer and soldier filed a complaint with the police on Tuesday after settlers reportedly attacked them near the West Bank outpost of Homesh.

The IDF released details of the incident, which occurred on Monday evening, and told that an Israeli vehicle breached the checkpoint near Homesh, hitting the legs of the two soldiers. They did not require medical treatment.

This follows another incident of violence near Homesh on Saturday night, in which Israelis near the outpost pelted Palestinian vehicles with stones, the IDF Spokesman reported. The troops at the scene tried to stop the incident but ended up being attacked as well, the army said.

The yeshiva of Homesh has already been at the center of violence in the past. Eight people suspected of attacking Palestinians and soldiers were arrested two weeks ago, but were released on the same day to house arrest.

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The Homesh yeshiva is considered illegal by Israeli law and is located in a temporary structure. The 2005 Disengagement Law forbids Israeli civilian presence in the area, unless they receive a special exemption from the IDF.

Although military forces at the checkpoint usually prevent vehicles that don't belong to students from entering, the yeshiva is accessible by foot and the army has increasingly turned a blind eye to Israeli presence there.

In December, 25-year-old Yehuda Dimentman, a student at the Homesh yeshiva, was murdered by Palestinians in an ambush, spurring renewed calls to settle the area and an uptick in violence.

The legal situation at the site, however, has not changed, and the government maintained that no new buildings permits will be granted there. At the beginning of February, the government informed the High Court of Justice that the buildings of the Homesh yeshiva would be evacuated if Defense Minister Benny Gantz ordered to do so.