Settlers attack Palestinians to avenge West Bank outpost demolition

[Violet_Crumble]

The text messages were sent out en masse at about 9:43 A.M. "Buses full of Special Forces Police with flak jackets and nightsticks at the Rantis Junction," they warned. At 10:08 A.M., an update: "A large convoy that includes a D9 is making its way to Gush Talmonim." At 10:15 A.M., the signal was given: "Demolition forces have taken over the gates. Everyone move in."

Several dozen teens from the area responded to the call and rushed to the Givat Menachem outpost, hoping to prevent the razing of the outpost's synagogue. It was too late. When they arrived, the police are already gone, leaving ruins behind them.

Avi Cohen searched the ruins of the synagogue for the missing mezuzah. Other teens also began to dig, to see if the cement foundations were still there.

And they began chanting slogans: "The police destroy nothing that belongs to Arabs." "The rule of evil is persecuting the settlements." "In 24 hours, we will set this place up anew." "We will not be broken."

As the number of teens at the site grew, and talk of the "unfair" treatment intensified, it was clear that a "price tag" operation - an attack against Palestinians or their property to retaliate for outpost demolitions - was only a matter of time. In recent months, the Dolev-Talmonim area has become a "price tag" zone.

The army had prepared for this in advance: It placed a military vehicle at the entrance of every single Palestinian village in the area.

But despite the military preparations, the youths found a weak point: a muddy path that led straight from the outpost to the Palestinian village of Bitilu, 500 meters away. Suddenly, the relative quiet turned into an assault, as one teen galloped to the top of the path, shouting, "Let's go! Mayhem!"

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1145463.html

[Chulanowa]

1. Ha ha ha, just good kids having good fun, ha ha ha

Imagine! If the Palestinians being attacked had defended themselves, we'd be seeing "Israeli youths massacred by Palestinian gunmen!"

[daa]

2. Your tax dollars at work nt

[azurnoir]

3. So the mighty IDF and police could not stop

the settler youths but they could stop the Palestinians

[Scurrilous]

4. UN debate highlights West Bank clashes

Assistant to UN chief slams razing of Palestinian homes in east Jerusalem, settlers' 'price tag' policy

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3840668,00.html

<snip>

"The UN Security Council on Wednesday made the razing of homes in east Jerusalem the main subject of its periodic debate on the Middle East.

Assistant Secretary-General Oscar Fernandez-Taranco reviewed developments that took place in the area over the past three months and condemned the razing of Palestinians' homes in east Jerusalem in the name of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Taranco said Israel was still building in the West Bank despite its declaration of a temporary freeze in construction in settlements. He added that 107 violent clashes were reported to have occurred between settlers and Palestinians as part of the settlers' 'price tag policy' for the evacuation of illegal outposts.

The assistant also expressed disappointment over Israel's refusal to allow building material into the Gaza Strip following the damage done there during Operation Cast Lead. He demanded the state refrain from interfering with UN aid in the rebuilding process.

The Palestinian envoy to the UN, Riad Mansour, complained of the international community's lack of response for the "collective punishment" in Gaza. He called for a "breaking of the siege" in order to rebuild the Strip and for Israel's punishment due to the conclusions of the Goldstone report.

Mansour also accused Israel of attempting to alter the character of east Jerusalem, and said the "annexation of east Jerusalem" had been carried out in violation of Security Council resolutions."