Palestinian village vandalized, graffiti states "regards from Yitzhar"
The West Bank settlement of Yitzhar has been in the news In the past two weeks, after a series of four attacks against Israeli security forces.
By TOVAH LAZAROFFHebrew words which read 'regards from Yitzhar' spray-painted by vandals are seen on a vehicle in the West Bank village of Yatma(photo credit: B’TSELEM)
Vandals, believed to be Jewish extremists, damaged some 30 vehicles in the West Bank village of Yatma, the NGO B’Tselem reported on Friday morning.The vandals spray painted Hebrew words and the Star of David on some of the vehicles. This included a message that said “regards from Yitzhar.”The West Bank settlement of Yitzhar has been in the news in the past two weeks following a series of four attacks against Israeli security forces, allegedly by settler hilltop youth in the area of Yitzhar.The Yitzhar secretariat has condemned the violence and has asked the hilltop youth to leave the area.On October 18 and 20, Jewish extremists attacked IDF soldiers, lightly injuring two in the latter incident. On Monday night, the extremists attacked Border Police. On Thursday night, a fire was set to a Border Police tent in the Yitzhar area.On Thursday, security forces demolished three structures in the Shevah Haaretz outpost near Yitzhar. The IDF has also declared that the Kumi Ori outpost near Yitzhar is a closed military zone.Settlers complained that the Border Police had initially prevented people from accessing the synagogue in Kumi Ori and presented a video showing officers telling a number of young men that they could only be in their houses.According to a spokesperson for Kumi Ori, there are some seven families that live there. Eventually, the families were allowed access to the synagogue, he said.Settlers also accused the Border Police of breaking the community’s eruv, a symbolic boundary which, in accordance with Jewish law, allows Shabbat observers to carry within the delineated space.A Border Police spokesman said that people were prevented from entering Kumi Ori, but that residents of Kumi Ori could go to their synagogue. He also denied that officers had broken the eruv. He also noted that the entire community was built illegally.
