Right-wing extremists break into Ephraim Brigade HQ in Samaria, cause damage, wound soldiers • Second group of activists enter closed military zone, establish illegal outpost near Jordanian border • IDF: Don't call it "price tag," it's "terrorism."
Lilach Shoval and Efrat Forsher
The Israel Defense Forces, as well as senior Israeli ministers and members of Knesset on Tuesday classified Monday night's attacks on IDF soldiers and bases in Judea and Samaria as "Jewish terrorism," calling the acts totally unacceptable. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the violence and convened an emergency meeting of top security chiefs ordering them to bring those responsible to justice. IDF Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz has opened an investigation into Monday's incidents, and is continuing intensive discussions to deal with the issue. In the Knesset, even the right-wing's most ardent supporters condemned the violence against the IDF.
In an unprecedented incident, 50 right-wing extremists broke into the Ephraim Brigade Command base in Samaria late Monday night, where they damaged equipment, punctured and burned tires at the entrance to the base, and clashed with soldiers. At the same time, other extremists attacked the brigade commander’s vehicle on Road 55, near the Ramat Gilad illegal outpost, and hurled a rock at the officer, who was lightly wounded, according to a report on Israel Radio. Extremists also threw stones at Palestinian cars near Qalqilya, wounding three Palestinians, including a toddler, Palestinian news agencies reported. The incidents occurred hours after another group of activists broke into the closed military zone along the Jordanian border to establish an outpost. The attacks came in response to rumors that the IDF was about to carry out a court order to demolish illegal settler outposts.
Police arrived at the Ephraim Brigade base late Monday night, and together with soldiers expelled the attackers from the compound. As of Tuesday afternoon, no arrests had been announced.
IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai described the incidents as "extremely severe" and said, “This is in no way acceptable behavior." Mordechai said the brigade commander was slightly wounded as a result of a rock thrown at his vehicle, though he stressed that "the significant damage is that IDF forces had to be distracted from their important mission of defending Israel."
Mordechai said the incident was being investigated by Central Command GOC Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrahi, and stressed that the IDF "expects community rabbis and the Yesha Council to denigrate and criticize the incident ... We will not allow such riots, and along with other security forces, we will locate those responsible and bring them to trial."
Mordechai said he thought the incursion next to the Jordanian border and the subsequent attack on the army base were connected, Reuters reported.
"I don't believe in coincidences. I think that to mobilize more than 100 people takes organization ... We will not allow such disturbances, with people taking the law into their own hands," he said.
Senior IDF officers told Israel Radio that they were no longer referring to such acts by extremist right-wing elements of the as "price-tag" incidents, but rather "Jewish terrorism." The officers said there was growing concern inside the IDF about the increasing frequency and nature of such attacks. The IDF said it expects senior Judea and Samaria rabbis and community leaders to condemn the attack on the Ephraim Brigade base. IDF officials told Israel Radio on Tuesday that instead of carrying out its primary mission -- the protection of Israeli civilians --- the army is being forced to deal with these sorts of attacks.
"The IDF regards acts directed against the army and its soldiers, which prevent it from focusing on its prime task of protecting Israeli civilians and residents, with great severity," an IDF statement said.
Homefront Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said: "The IDF takes orders from the political level and will continue to uphold the law in Judea and Samaria together with the police and Civil Administration, undaunted by violence directed at it. Those who attacked the IDF base are criminals, Jewish terrorists, who need to be dealt with harshly. I am waiting to hear senior rabbis condemn the incident."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday ordered the security forces to act aggressively against those who attack IDF soldiers and commanders. "This incident deserves all condemnation. The security forces need to concentrate on defending our citizens and not on such outrageous lawbreaking,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak called the incident an example of "homegrown terrorism," and the Defense Ministry issued a statement condemning the attacks.
“The Defense Minister views the string of violent activities carried out by criminal groups of extremists in Judea and Samaria with the utmost seriousness. These activities have the characteristic of homegrown terror and will not be tolerated,” the statement said. “The Defense Minister has instructed the IDF to act with resolve in all of its efforts to curb this worrying bout of activity. We will capture those involved, and they will stand trial.”
The statement continued: “The events included breaking through the perimeter fence, attacking the brigade commander and his deputy, breaking into an IDF base, throwing stones at Palestinians, attacking our security forces, and subsequently diverting the attention of the IDF away from their vital work of keeping the area secure. They endangered lives and their actions threaten to damage the delicate relations Israel has with its neighbors. The minister of defense is determined to uproot these phenomena and calls on the leaderships of the communities in Judea and Samaria -- and indeed society as a whole -- to condemn these nefarious actions that have no place in our civilized society.”
Vice Prime Minister and Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon, speaking on Tuesday, called the incident "an act of terrorism which undermines the sovereignty and security of the state."
The incidents occurred during a period of tension among the "hilltop youth" groups due to rumors of police and IDF intentions to remove several illegal outposts in coming days, in line with a ruling by the Supreme Court in August.
Earlier, 17 activists -- members of a faction known as "Jewish Towns" headed by "hilltop youth" activist Meir Bartler -- breached the security fence near the Arab Christian town of Qasr al-Yahud near Jericho and the Israel-Jordan border, entered a structure in a closed military area where baptisms are held, and announced the establishment of a new outpost.
The act was apparently a message to Jordan not to interfere in the Mughrabi Bridge issue. The Jerusalem municipal engineer has declared the temporary wooden bridge, which leads up to the Temple Mount from the Western Wall plaza, unfit for use, and it has been slated for replacement by a more permanent structure. Palestinians and others have criticized the plans to demolish the bridge.
"It is the right of the Jewish people to settle in any part of Israel. We intend to stay here and will not leave on our own," Bartler declared. Activists at the site said that the ruling Likud party had to return to its "original ideology" and named the new outpost "Ze'ev's Fortress," after Ze'ev Jabotinsky, who founded the pre-state Revisionist Zionist movement.
Large contingents of police and soldiers arrived at the site near the Jordanian border and demanded that the activists leave on their own. When they refused to do so, the forces prepared to evacuate them forcefully. "There was no breach of the international border or confrontation with Jordanians. But this was a severe incident," an IDF officer said.
According to Army Radio, the activists were evacuated before dawn on Tuesday, with some arrested during the evacuation.
Also on Monday night, more than 70 ultra-Orthodox men broke into Joseph's Tomb near Nablus. One Breslov Hasid was lightly wounded by Palestinian police gunfire when he tried to break into the holy Jewish site.
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