Woman  argues with soldiers at expulsion
Woman argues with soldiers at expulsionFlash 90

Three and a half years ago then-Labor minister Matan Vilnai advised IDF soldiers to kill residents of Judea, Samaria and Gaza who might open fire in opposition to Ariel Sharon's 2005 Disengagement Plan. Now, serving as Deputy Defense Minister, Vilnai has been asked by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to probe "settler violence."

 

In January 2005, Vilnai threatened demonstrators against the destruction of Jewish communities and expulsion of Jews from their homes in the Gaza and northern Samaria regions, even though no one had even urged attacks on soldiers.

 

"If some nutcase opens fire at IDF soldiers, he should be hit immediately," Vilnai said. Labor party colleague Binyamin Ben-Eliezer rejected Vilnai's remarks at the time. "We are implementing a strategy of disengagement and not a bloody battle," he said. "If one drop of blood spills because of the Disengagement, it's not worth the price."

'If some nutcase opens fire at IDF soldiers, he should be hit immediately,' Vilnai said.

 

Since the expulsion, Vilnai has increasingly complained about disturbances by Jews, who sometimes have initiated attacks against Arabs but often have acted in response to provocation by Arabs and leftist anarchists.

 

He recently told the Knesset's Internal Affairs and Environment Committee that Jews living in Judea and Samaria and who attack soldiers and Arabs show "complete disregard for the law."

 

One incident last week in Otniel, located between Hevron-Kiryat Arba and Be'er Sheva, involved young Jews, many of whom are not from the community. They stoned Arabs who were picking pick olives in a grove   located within the Jewish community but which they claim is Arab land.

 

The picking was coordinated with the IDF, and when soldiers intervened, one of them was accidentally hit in the head by a rock, eyewitnesses said. However, the media reported that the attacker intentionally attacked the soldier.

 

Vilnai charged, "There has been a dramatic rise in the number of offenses against Palestinians and IDF soldiers in the West Bank. How many people are behind bars for attacking IDF soldiers? I have a feeling I know the answer."

 

Leaders in Judea and Samaria have severely censured the attackers and have emphasized they represent a tiny minority of nationalists.