Villagers in Beita, south of Nablus, decided to resume daily protests against the settler outpost of Aviatar shortly after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the area on Friday.
During the protests in 2021, seven Palestinians were killed and dozens injured in clashes with IDF troops. Most of the protests took place at night and after Friday prayers.
The protests were suspended in July 2021 after the settlers evacuated the caravans at the site.
On Friday, Ben-Gvir visited the outpost, located in an area the Palestinians call Jabal Sabih, and called for a wide military offensive to kill thousands of terrorists and for increased settlement construction.
After the visit, activists from the village said they will resume the “night confusion” activities against the IDF in the area. The activities previously included burning tires, setting off fireworks and throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at soldiers and settlers.
“There needs to be a full settlement here. Not just here but on all the hilltops around us,” Ben-Gvir said. “We have to settle the Land of Israel and at the same time to launch a military campaign, blow up buildings and kill terrorists. Not one, or two, but dozens, hundreds, or if needed, thousands.”
Ben-Gvir’s statements drew strong condemnations from the Palestinian Authority.
Ben-Gvir's statements denounced
The Palestinian Foreign Affairs Ministry denounced Ben-Gvir’s statements as “abhorrent and genocidal” and said they demonstrate “clear criminal and murderous intent.”
In a statement, the ministry said that such “odious comments reflect Israel’s abject disregard of Palestinian lives and the pervasive culture of impunity in Israel with regard to Palestinian lives and rights.”
These statements, the ministry said, “were made in the context of providing support and encouragement to Israeli settlers to commit yet more war crimes.”
It accused the international community of failing to hold Israel accountable for its “systematic and widespread egregious violations of international law and Palestinian rights.”
According to the Palestinian Ministry, the Israeli government is committing all these “crimes while enjoying cover, protection and even pandering by key international players that amounts to outright complicity. It urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor to end his “continued silence, procrastination and diminishing of the investigation into the situation in Palestine.”
Rawhi Fattouh, Chairman of the Palestinian National Council, the PLO’s legislative body, also condemned Ben-Gvir’s remarks as “effrontery and direct incitement to terrorism and murder.”
Fattouh claimed that the statements of the Israeli minister reflect the “fascist nature” of the Israeli government. He called on the ICC Prosecutor to issue an arrest warrant for Ben-Gvir and other Israelis like him and bring them to trial. He further called on the international community to classify the settlers as a “terrorist organization whose members should be pursued and brought to trial.”
Fattouh added that statements of denunciation by the international community were insufficient because they have become too familiar and worthless as far as the Israeli government is concerned.