Radical Jewish settlers clash with police at West Bank settlements

Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has gone out of his way to calm the right- wing flank of his slim coalition after showdowns between police and radical settlers at two West Bank flashpoints.

Violent clashes erupted when security forces, including the police’s elite anti-terror unit, evicted hundreds of Jewish activists who had occupied two buildings slated for demolition in the settlement of Beit El, north of Jerusalem.

The police raid on the building came after Israel’s high court ruled that the structures, built to house 24 settler families, had been constructed illegally on private Palestinian land, and had to be demolished by the end of the month.

Mr Netanyahu was quick to placate Jewish Home activists after Knesset members from the far-right coalition party threatened to vote against the government if the demolitions went ahead.

“We’re acting to bolster the settlements, and we’re doing so in accordance with the law,” Mr Netanyahu said following the pre-dawn raid. “Our stance regarding the houses in Beit El is clear. We are opposed to demolishing them and are pursuing judicial courses to prevent such a step.

Not to demolish

“I will request that the government’s stance, to the effect that the planning process at the site has been concluded and that there is thus no need to demolish the houses, will be brought before the high court of justice as well.”

Fifty Jewish activists were arrested during the clashes in the early morning as police occupied the buildings, evicting the activists. The settlers shouted at police: “A Jew doesn’t evict a Jew.”

Violence resumed later yesterday after Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett addressed an angry crowd who called on him to quit Mr Netanyahu’s government, which has a majority of only one in the 120- seat Knesset.

“This act contradicts the foundations and principles of the government, as well as the responsible and nationalist conduct I expect of this government. We cannot lend a hand to this,” Mr Bennett said.

Sa-Nur occupation

Further north in the West Bank, large numbers of troops and riot police were poised to evict 250 activists who had occupied the site of Sa-Nur. This is one of the four settlements in the northern West Bank that was evacuated along with all 21 settlements in the

Gaza Strip

as part of the disengagement, carried out 10 years ago.

Families who were evacuated in 2005, along with rabbis, settler figures and Jewish Home Knesset member Bezalel Smotrich, took part in the Sa-Nur operation.

“Ten years after the expulsion, the time has come to rectify, and the start of rectification is here in northern Samaria,” Mr Smotrich said.

"I think that today it is clear to every child in Israel that the disengagement was folly, and aside from terror and a Hamas state it didn't achieve anything."

The protesters studied the Torah or prepared meals while some of the children sprayed graffiti, reading “Death to Arabs,” “Greater Israel” and “Sa-Nur = Redemption”.