Jewish settler boys suspected of petrol bombing Palestinians

THREE BOYS aged 12 and 13 from a West Bank Jewish settlement have been detained on suspicion of carrying out a petrol bomb attack this month on a Palestinian taxi.

Four family members, including two young children, were burned in the attack, which was condemned by Israeli leaders.

The three minors, all from the outpost of Bat Ayin, near Bethlehem, were remanded in custody for four days yesterday by the Jerusalem magistrates’ court.

After an inquiry by police and the Israel Security Agency, police told the court there was firm evidence linking the boys to the attack. Adi Kedar, a lawyer for the accused, said the defence team had no faith in the police. “These are children from good homes whose only sin is living in a community perceived as radical. The police are trying to appease the politicians and the media with these arrests,” he said.

Dozens of relatives and supporters attended the court session and offered encouragement to the three, shouting “be strong” and “we’ll blow them apart”. The incident is the second in recent weeks involving Israeli youngsters suspected of carrying out attacks against Palestinians.

Israeli security forces are on standby to evict settlers from Migron, one of the West Bank’s largest illegal outposts, after a court ruled the residents must leave by today, as the land is owned by Palestinians.

Prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu called on residents of Migron, north of Jerusalem, to respect the court decision and said that in return he would strengthen the settlement enterprise.

“We did this in Beit El and we will do this in Migron,” he said, in a reference to the government decision to build extra homes in the Beit El settlement after the court ordered the demolition of a disputed neighbourhood earlier this year.

Last month, Migron residents claimed they repurchased lots on which 17 of the families live. The high court is due to discuss the claim today.