Israeli Police Detains 23 Extremist Settlers In Jerusalem

Tuesday March 01, 2011 18:06 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

As dozens of extremist Jewish settlers blocked roads in Jerusalem while protesting the removal of structures at the illegal outpost of Gilad Farm, near the northern West Bank city of Nablus. The Israeli police arrested, on Monday evening, twenty three settlers who initiated violence during the protest.

Settlers Protest - Maan Images

Israeli Radio reported that two settlers, believed to have attacked a number of policemen during the evacuation, were released and that one soldier who lives in the illegal settlement and his home was removed, stated that he will not resume his service at the army.

The settlers claimed that the Police fired plastic bullets at them in Havat Gilad outpost, while the army said that soldiers only fired paint balls.

In Jerusalem, some of the protesting settlers are from illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, and carried signs reading “You Don’t Shoot Jews”, Israeli Ynet News reported.

The settlers also blocked several roads and junctions that lead to a number of settlements and outposts in the Nablus district, while settlers protesting in Jerusalem also blocked some junctions and streets.

The removal of some illegal structures started Monday and resumed on Tuesday morning. Clashes between the soldiers and the settlers took place, and eight settlers were arrested. The settlers accused the army of using excessive force against them.

Extremist settlers vowed to continue their protests and vowed “painful attacks against the Palestinians” in retaliation to the army’s evacuation of the illegal structures.

Palestinian residents of Burin village, near Nablus, stated that settlers of the illegal outpost of Yitzhar blocked roads and tried to roll burning tires towards the village, Israeli Ynet News reported.

Ynet added that a Molotov Cocktail was hurled, on Monday, at a Palestinian home in Huwwara village, near Nablus. The Molotov Cocktail caused fire in one rooms of the home while two Palestinian resident received treatment for smoke inhalation.

jerusalem | israeli settlement | news report saed at imemc dot org