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Last update - 22:27 24/07/2008
Settler holds knife to IDF soldier's throat in West Bank riot
By Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondent, and The Associated Press
Tags: West Bank, Palestinians 

A settler attacked an Israel Defense Forces soldier at the West Bank outpost of Havat Gilad Thursday afternoon, holding a knife to the soldier's throat and forcibly removing his helmet from his head. The attacker then fled the scene.

The incident occurred during a confrontation between settlers and Israeli soldiers in the area, west of Nablus.
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Other settlers at Havat Gilad set Palestinian olive groves on fire, sparking several field fires.

Earlier Thursday, Palestinian security officials said that more than 20 settlers had attacked another Palestinian village in the West Bank, Burin, smashing cars and windows and cutting electricity wires.

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld, however, said settlers never entered the village itself although there were scuffles between Palestinians and Israelis outside Burin on the road to the nearby settlement of Yitzhar.

When police and soldiers intervened to restore order, a settler snatched a soldier's gun and fired in the air before being disarmed and arrested, Rosenfeld and the military said.

No injuries were immediately reported in the violence.

The disturbances began after IDF troops evacuated a group of settlers from a bus parked illegally as a residential structure at the Adei Ad outpost.

According to reports, the settlers made their way to the Yitzhar and Shiloh Junctions, and then to Burin, where they burned tires and hurled stones at Palestinian cars.

Palestinian policemen said dozens of houses and cars were damaged, and that shots were fired in the air when Israel Defense Forces soldiers arrived on the scene.

The closest settlement to Burin is Yitzhar, where a settler was arrested this month for allegedly trying to launch a homemade rocket at Burin.

Yitzhar is a known hotbed of ultranationalist Israelis who believe that the West Bank is part of the biblical land of Israel promised to the Jewish people by God. They oppose any concessions to the Palestinians.

An instructor at the seminary was arrested in 2006 on suspicion of inciting violence against Arabs.

Yitzhar residents have repeatedly fought farmers from the Palestinian villages that surround their hilltop settlement and have clashed with police sent to supervise demolition of unlicensed buildings in the area.

In 2006, the Israel Defense Forces withdrew troops stationed at Yitzhar for its protection, citing repeated settler attacks on soldiers and destruction of military equipment.

Border Policeman, IDF officer wounded in Na'alin

Meanwhile, about 150 Palestinians and Israelis demonstrated on Thursday against the construction of the separation fence in the West Bank village of Na'alin.

The protests turned confrontational when demonstrators began hurling rocks at IDF and Border Police forces, lighly wounding an officer and policeman.

The IDF said forces fired tear gas and rubber-tipped bullets at protesters in response to the disturbances, and said the violence stemmed from a misunderstanding between Israeli and Palestinian security forces.

The protests, which have occurred quite regularly of late, have often ended in violence and light injuries.

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      1.   If settlers can defeat the IDF anyone can 13:14  |  Natallie Durson 24/07/08
      2.   If only Palestinians followed Yitzhar residents and did not kill 13:21  |  POP 24/07/08
      3.   It is the Arab occupation of Israel stupid,Bulldozers,Merkaz Hara 13:22  |  Genuine Tosefta 24/07/08
      4.   Yitzhar settlers a cancer on the body of Israel 13:28  |  SJ 24/07/08
      5.   Extremists for your review 13:30  |  Gili 24/07/08
      6.   Ultranationalist 13:47  |  Ultranationalist Pal 24/07/08
      7.   The settlers have the right idea! 13:51  |  petra 24/07/08
      8.   for whomthe bells toll? 14:07  |  amihai 24/07/08
      9.   "Bury my heart at Wounded Knee" - a great book/movie. 14:14  |  Buick from Boca 24/07/08
      10.   Two Palestinian workers attack Jewish building contractor with ha 14:15  |  Haaretz = Terrorists 24/07/08
      11.   Vandalising your enemy`s property is permitted in war 14:17  |  Yael 24/07/08
      12.   Fight back 14:20  |  Eric 24/07/08
      13.   Where`s the video? wot no 14 year old with cam? 14:21  |  x-ray 24/07/08
      14.   Disgusting Behavior 14:27  |  Jane 24/07/08
      15.   killing civilians 14:29  |  sth26 24/07/08
      16.   Tveria 14:31  |  Big Dog 24/07/08
      17.   Innocent Palestinians 14:33  |  Big Dog 24/07/08
      18.   These European jews,whether from the west,central or eastern 14:35  |  lakshmi 24/07/08
      19.   Why not call a pogrom by its right name? 14:35  |  potobac 24/07/08
      20.   Ask a settler: one state, or 2 for U??? 14:39  |  Ivar 24/07/08
      21.   Now to watch the doube standard world press! 14:43  |  Murray the Mongoose 24/07/08
      22.   As long as Arabs support terror, I support their suffering 14:46  |  Eli 24/07/08
      23.   It is time for using live bullets in Naalaim and this time 14:46  |  Genuine Tosefta 24/07/08
      24.   POP Pals kill Israelis with or without the occupation 14:51  |  PETER SM 24/07/08
      25.   Arab conquerors of India, either from Hejaz or Forbidding Quarter 14:52  |  Genuine Tosefta 24/07/08
      26.   IF it is as reported it is a disgrace 14:52  |  PETER SM 24/07/08
      27.   Jane did you offer same advice to E. Jerusalem Arabs after Bulldo 14:54  |  Genuine Tosefta 24/07/08
      28.   Fantasitc ! This anti semitic government must learn... 14:56  |  Jew 24/07/08
      29.   lakshami - the fool 15:00  |  Educator 24/07/08
      30.   Arabs started by attacking Jews with rocks 15:04  |  Moshe 24/07/08
      31.   What world press? The German speaking press has 15:07  |  Andreas 24/07/08
      32.   israeli justice *will* punish those responsible 15:07  |  justice 24/07/08
      33.   Shame on Petra et al who defend these fundamentalists 15:12  |  O-Dog 24/07/08
      34.   Who are the Terrorist? 15:15  |  cgc 24/07/08
      35.   Lowlife squatters represent jewish values 15:17  |  POP 24/07/08
      36.   Cowardly settlers, cowardly army 15:18  |  Chanalau, Tova 24/07/08
      37.   Nope I Don`t Agree With That 15:21  |  Yosemite 24/07/08
      38.   An inevitable aspect of colonialism 15:23  |  Sylvie 24/07/08
      39.   # 8 , #14 Obviously any Pals Suffering is not Enough For You! 15:27  |  Monitor 24/07/08
      40.   You are right x-ray, B`Sheker raised the standard of proof 15:27  |  Genuine Tosefta 24/07/08
      41.   THERE IS NO ISRAELI JUSTICE 15:35  |  Barry S. Roffman 24/07/08
      42.   We all expected The Chanalau Phenomenon posting of hatred ignoran 15:45  |  Genuine Tosefta 24/07/08
      43.   The coalition MUST stop driving Jews from our homes! 15:46  |  Chaim 24/07/08
      44.   to monitor (# 8, #14) 15:47  |  amihai 24/07/08
      45.   PotoSchmuck did you call Merkaz Harav/Bulldozers attacks pogrom? 15:50  |  Genuine Tosefta 24/07/08
      46.   "Genuine Tosefta" - We Do Not Condone Terror of Any Kind 15:54  |  Jane 24/07/08
      47.   Chanalau, Tova; The Real COW 15:58  |  Freddy 24/07/08
      48.   Re: Educator 15:58  |  LK 24/07/08
      49.   Can we get Animal Planet to film these settler monkeys? 16:00  |  Palestinian in UK 24/07/08
      50.   Yosemite, Spineless Guppy 16:02  |  Freddy 24/07/08
      51.   Monitor, Brain of a Guppy 16:07  |  PROUD ARAB 24/07/08
      52.   lakshmi your Mother 16:18  |  Fred 24/07/08
      53.   Jane you evade answering advice you gave Arabs in East Jerusalem 16:23  |  Genuine Tosefta 24/07/08
      54.   Clean up the hilltops in the West Bank 16:28  |  John 24/07/08
      55.   ah so now I understand Genuine Tosefta 16:32  |  rm 24/07/08
      56.   # 22 ELI 16:32  |  Che 24/07/08
      57.   just face up to it, condemn it, act against it - 16:36  |  ivo 24/07/08
      58.   Who is this "AP Reporter"? 16:38  |  Michelle 24/07/08
      59.   Stop these useless comparisons 16:38  |  Angel 24/07/08
      60.   To Gili 16:45  |  John 24/07/08
      61.   To Chaim 16:51  |  John 24/07/08
      62.   Jane your advice is interpreted by Arabs as condoning their 16:57  |  Genuine Tosefta 24/07/08
      63.   The Dogs Are Still Barking 16:59  |  Isaiah 24/07/08
      64.   POP Arab terrorists represent YOUR values 17:00  |  PETER SM 24/07/08
      65.   #18 lakshmi 17:02  |  Moshe 24/07/08
      66.   CHANALAU.The" cowardly"army has kicked your friends backside 17:03  |  PETER SM 24/07/08
      67.   #35 POP 17:11  |  Moshe 24/07/08
      68.   Genuine - Don`t Patronize Me 17:17  |  Jane 24/07/08
      69.   #36 17:22  |  Dave