Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., May 30, 2009 Sivan 7, 5769 | | Israel Time: 19:28 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Focus U.S.A. Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 08:14 03/05/2009
Four settlers held for firing at Palestinian village in West Bank
By Nadav Shragai and Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Bat Ayin, settlers 

Police arrested four Jewish settlers including two Israel Defense Forces soldiers on home leave on Saturday for allegedly firing indiscriminately at the West Bank village of Khirbet Safa, near the settlement of Bat Ayin.

Settlers had assembled on a hill overlooking the village on the 30-day anniversary of the murder of Bat Ayin teenager Shlomo Nativ, who was killed by a resident of Khirbet Safa. They began shooting at the village when an IDF patrol ordered them to leave. The IDF Spokesman's Office said the settlers opened fire "without any reason." The spokesman called the settlers' actions "an unnecessary and dangerous provocation."

Around half the settlers on the hilltop headed toward the village. Settlers and local Palestinians began throwing stones at each other until army units arrived. The IDF removed the settlers from the village and fired tear gas and rubber-coated bullets at the Palestinians. The confrontation between the Palestinians and IDF lasted hours.
Advertisement
IDF sources said two Palestinians were wounded, but it was not clear if they were hurt when the settlers opened fire or during the clashes with the IDF.

Settlers and people from Khirbet Safa have been involved in a series of violent incidents over the past few years. Three years ago Bat Ayin resident Erez Levanon was stabbed to death by a resident of Khirbet Safa. Earlier this year a 14-year-old Palestinian boy from Khirbet Safa was badly beaten by Bat Ayin settlers.

Three weeks ago the Shin Bet security service arrested Musa Tiet, a resident of Khirbet Safa, for Nativ's murder last month. Tiet admitted killing the 13-year-old and wounding a 7-year-old boy. He said he had acted alone with the aim of becoming a martyr.

Police are concerned that members of the settlement, the home to a number of right-wing extremists, might seek to avenge Nativ's death. Five years ago the Shin Bet arrested a number of Bat Ayin residents who were members of a Jewish underground cell that had planned to bomb Arab schools in East Jerusalem.

Related articles:
  • Shin Bet: We've caught Bat Ayin axe terrorist
  • Father of Bat Ayin terror victim, 7, gets prison furlough to visit son
  • Settlers, Palestinians clash after memorial for boy killed by terrorist
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    'Racist, fascist bills'
    Israeli Arabs irate over spate of recent legislation proposals by rightist MKs
    Two men and a baby
    Israel's gay community is experiencing a baby boom
      1.   Why did the IDF teargas the Palestinians? 05:06  |  Hanna 03/05/09
      2.   Conflicting Accounts 06:27  |  UsedToPostHere 03/05/09
      3.   this is not possible 06:41  |  Alon Tolwin 03/05/09
      4.   The IDF "soldiers" will get off as usual... 07:18  |  BBSNews 03/05/09
      5.   Once again the victom is punished by the warped Israeli police 07:36  |  Jew 03/05/09
      6.   Just the last of a long string of belligerence by Bat Ayin... 08:00  |  Esther 03/05/09
      7.   The law of the media brings violence. 08:03  |  Jean Van Daem 03/05/09
      8.   Not terrorism ?? 08:12  |  Igor 03/05/09
      9.   # 2 usedtoposthere reveals a handicap 09:28  |  eric 03/05/09
      10.   firing indiscriminately 10:00  |  had enough 03/05/09
      11.   Demolish the Settlers Homes 10:20  |  Razi 03/05/09
      12.   no peace possible with settlers 10:47  |  John Locke 03/05/09
      13.   This is going to happen more and more 11:06  |  Chris Linthwaite 03/05/09
      14.   Settlers 11:14  |  alan 03/05/09
      15.   Settlers fired in SELF-DEFENSE 11:18  |  Mark 03/05/09
      16.   Saturday Fever..? 11:57  |  Stephen. 03/05/09
      17.   Arabs attack Jews and are dispersed by the IDF 12:58  |  A. S. 03/05/09
      18.   Well done Haaretz! 13:16  |  Rod 03/05/09
      19.   To quote Hamas, the PA/PLO and most left-wing commentators: 14:02  |  Ari 03/05/09
      20.   a microcosm of the entire conflict 14:40  |  Akiva P 03/05/09
      21.   This is not possible? 15:02  |  Nahman Umani 03/05/09
      22.   Thanks Nahman 15:49  |  Sarah 03/05/09
      23.   Such settlers should be resettled to Negev desert 16:15  |  Ivar 03/05/09
      24.   Settlers? When wiil this Orwellian term be put to rest? 16:19  |  jim the mechanic 03/05/09
      25.   re: Akiva P 16:35  |  UsedToPostHere 03/05/09
      26.   re: BBSNews 16:37  |  UsedToPostHere 03/05/09
      27.   Different stories frtom different news sources 17:01  |  Jackie 03/05/09
      28.   to UsedToPostHere, you`re entirely spot on ! 17:51  |  Akiva P 03/05/09
      29.   World Court Decided: Illegal to Settle in Land Seized in 1967. 19:32  |  Reader 03/05/09
      30.   A Moderates View 21:06  |  A Moderate 03/05/09
      31.   And these aren`t TERRORISTS? 00:06  |  Ari 04/05/09
      32.   Alon #2 - You twist facts like a Hamas supporter 00:08  |  Ari 04/05/09
      33.   usedtoposthere 01:25  |  Michelle 04/05/09
      34.   world court 01:35  |  Michelle 04/05/09
      35.   Michelle, If You Don`t Like the Decision of the World Court... 03:57  |  Reader 04/05/09
      36.   Say that again?!?!??!?! 06:23  |  Johnboy 04/05/09
      37.   Reader`s rhetoric 08:12  |  peter 04/05/09
      38.   the idf`s west bank "babysitting" roll is revealed (3rd try 10:30  |  eric 04/05/09
      39.   "an unnecessary and dangerous provocation." 10:39  |  Axel 04/05/09
      40.   #22 It remains a dangerous opinion for Israel, peter. 11:49  |  Johnboy 04/05/09
      41.   re: eric 05:58  |  UsedToPostHere 06/05/09
      42.   re: Johnboy 06:00  |  UsedToPostHere 06/05/09
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    hotel Jerusalem
    David Citadel Hotel, come stay at the finest of Jerusalem hotels.
    ISRAEL ARMY SURPLUS STORE
    IDF insignia,Uniforms, Paladium Boots Watches, Israel Army T-shirts & Collectibles
    Dead Sea Skin Care
    Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
     Haaretz Hot Topics
    The Pope in the Holy Land
    Durban II conference
    Iran: Nuclear and regional ambitions
    Israel vs. Hamas
    Air strike in Sudan
    More Headlines
    17:56 Abbas: U.S. is committed to ending settlement construction
    18:52 Hamas: Abbas mustn't relinquish our rights for a 'U.S. illusion'
    17:43 Germany: West Bank settlement expansion is 'not acceptable'
    17:46 Lebanon on 'full alert' ahead of IDF Home Front Command drill
    17:47 Iran think tank: Ahmadinejad distorting facts about nuclear program
    18:03 Lebanon charges four with collaborating with Israel
    19:23 Can you tell the difference between an Israeli and a Palestinian?
    20:58 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
    13:03 U.S. man evades jail time in 'mysterious' case of spying for Israel
    15:48 Gates calls for tough sanctions on North Korea, Iran
    14:03 Settlers, leftists clash near West Bank village of Safa
    23:00 Everything you wanted to know about missile strikes but were afraid to ask
    17:38 26-year-old dies at Netanya beach after sand cliff collapse
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |
    | Israel 2009 election results | Makom: Engaging on Israel
    | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved