From the Liveblog of
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Cops reportedly refuse to arrest masked settler who IDF detained trying to enter West Bank village
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
Israel Police reportedly refused to arrest a settler who the IDF detained while en route to attack the Palestinian village of Rujeib in the northern West Bank.
Last year, then-IDF Central Command head Gen. Yehuda Fox penned a letter obtained by Channel 12 warning that police were not acting against violent settlers due to a directive from National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who oversees the law enforcement body.
In today’s incident, six settlers — some of them masked and donning pepper spray — tried to enter the Palestinian village of Rujeib, a senior Israeli security official tells Hebrew media.
An IDF squad was dispatched to the scene and managed to intercept the settlers before they entered the village.
Most of the settlers fled upon seeing the soldiers. One of the soldiers pointed his weapon at one of the suspects and detained him.
He was then handed over to police, who refused to arrest the suspect, the security official says.
The incident comes two days after dozens of settlers rampaged the nearby Palestinian village of Jit, killing one local.
Earlier today, President Isaac Herzog told protesters outside his home that the issue is being “handled.”
No arrests have been made in the Jit attack, and the lone suspect detained afterward was released. His apprehension wasn’t for the attack itself.
