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West Bank Settlers Clash With Israeli Police Sent to Evict Them Israel Ejects Settlers in Last Stand at West Bank Synagogue
(1 day later)
Hundreds of angry protesters confronted Israeli police officers as they tried to eject them Thursday from the illegal West Bank settlement of Amona, the second day of clashes there. Several officers were injured as they cleared a synagogue of 200 people who had barricaded themselves in the outpost’s last inhabited building.
“How can the State of Israel destroy a synagogue?” Rabbi Yair Frank of the settlement asked on Israeli radio. “The entire Jewish people should be crying on this day.”
The police permitted Rabbi Frank to say a final prayer in the building before the last of the activists were removed.
Earlier, protesters sprayed fire extinguishers at police officers and threw rocks, paint bottles and wooden planks, the police said.
Someone spray-painted a swastika and graffiti that compared the Israeli police to Nazis on the synagogue walls.
“The officers faced especially tough and violent resistance,” the police said in a statement.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Thursday to establish a new West Bank settlement “as soon as possible” after the court-ordered evacuation of Amona, the largest of about 100 outposts built without authorization across the West Bank.
After years of court action and contentious debate over the Amona settlement outpost in the occupied West Bank, Israeli security forces operating under a court order forcibly evacuated settlers there on Wednesday.After years of court action and contentious debate over the Amona settlement outpost in the occupied West Bank, Israeli security forces operating under a court order forcibly evacuated settlers there on Wednesday.
Adding to the chaos, hundreds of young activists barricaded themselves in makeshift buildings at the site.Adding to the chaos, hundreds of young activists barricaded themselves in makeshift buildings at the site.
Hundreds of unarmed police officers in blue sweatshirts and baseball caps were sent to remove about 40 families from the outpost, which Israel’s Supreme Court has declared illegal.Hundreds of unarmed police officers in blue sweatshirts and baseball caps were sent to remove about 40 families from the outpost, which Israel’s Supreme Court has declared illegal.
Amona is the largest of about 100 outposts built without authorization across the West Bank. Over the years, it has become a flagship and a flash point of the Israeli settler movement. In 2014, the Supreme Court ruled that the outpost had been built on privately owned Palestinian land and ordered officials to raze it.Amona is the largest of about 100 outposts built without authorization across the West Bank. Over the years, it has become a flagship and a flash point of the Israeli settler movement. In 2014, the Supreme Court ruled that the outpost had been built on privately owned Palestinian land and ordered officials to raze it.
The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed the evacuation as long as it legally could, worried that removing the settlers would jeopardize his standing with right-wing Israeli voters who support settlement building on lands they view as historically Jewish. The government of Mr. Netanyahu delayed the evacuation as long as it legally could, worried that removing the settlers would jeopardize his standing with right-wing Israeli voters who support settlement building on lands they view as historically Jewish.
The police confronted protesters, many of them high school students, exactly 11 years to the day after Israeli forces demolished part of an earlier version of the settlement. In 2006, Israeli forces destroyed nine homes in Amona and clashed violently with settlers and their supporters.The police confronted protesters, many of them high school students, exactly 11 years to the day after Israeli forces demolished part of an earlier version of the settlement. In 2006, Israeli forces destroyed nine homes in Amona and clashed violently with settlers and their supporters.
About 2 p.m. on Wednesday, the police began evacuating settlers from the rugged hilltop overlooking a string of Palestinian villages. The young activists had built barricades from broken tiles, large rocks and metal bars.About 2 p.m. on Wednesday, the police began evacuating settlers from the rugged hilltop overlooking a string of Palestinian villages. The young activists had built barricades from broken tiles, large rocks and metal bars.
“You are supposed to protect us, not break into our homes!” one man shouted as the police tried to enter one home.“You are supposed to protect us, not break into our homes!” one man shouted as the police tried to enter one home.
“This is a dark day for us, for Zionism, for the state and for the great vision of the Jewish people returning to its homeland,” Avichay Buaron, a spokesman for Amona, told Channel 2 TV.“This is a dark day for us, for Zionism, for the state and for the great vision of the Jewish people returning to its homeland,” Avichay Buaron, a spokesman for Amona, told Channel 2 TV.
Ayelet Videl waited on the porch for the police to arrive at her trailer home. “Our heart is broken,” she said. “I didn’t imagine that all these energies would be channeled into destruction rather than construction.”Ayelet Videl waited on the porch for the police to arrive at her trailer home. “Our heart is broken,” she said. “I didn’t imagine that all these energies would be channeled into destruction rather than construction.”
Despite the evacuation, settler leaders said the day’s events represented only a minor setback in a larger battle over settlements — and one that they perceive they are winning. Hours before the police entered Amona, Mr. Netanyahu’s government approved construction of 3,000 more settler housing units in the West Bank. That roughly doubled the number of units approved, along with two earlier construction plans that recently set off international condemnation. Despite the evacuation, settler leaders said the day’s events represented only a minor setback in a larger battle over settlements — and one that they perceive they are winning. Hours before the police entered Amona, Mr. Netanyahu’s government approved the construction of 3,000 more settler housing units in the West Bank. That roughly doubled the number of units approved, along with two earlier construction plans that recently set off international condemnation.
“Altogether, we are moving on a very good vector. We are close to half a million people in Judea and Samaria,” said Shilo Adler, the head of the Yesha Council advocacy group, using biblical names for the West Bank.“Altogether, we are moving on a very good vector. We are close to half a million people in Judea and Samaria,” said Shilo Adler, the head of the Yesha Council advocacy group, using biblical names for the West Bank.
The Palestinians claim the West Bank, which Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 war, as part of a future independent state. In the Palestinian villages near Amona, landowners who helped bring the lawsuit against the settlers praised the outpost’s destruction.The Palestinians claim the West Bank, which Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 war, as part of a future independent state. In the Palestinian villages near Amona, landowners who helped bring the lawsuit against the settlers praised the outpost’s destruction.