Ruins of Jewish home in Shomron
Ruins of Jewish home in ShomronIsrael news photo: Shomron Regional Council

With only two months left until the end of the freeze on Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria, its enforcement is becoming more violent.

The tally of this morning’s destruction of a large house, goat pen and caravan: Four Jews injured, including one in serious condition, and two Arabs.

Dozens of special Yassam and Border Guard policemen, accompanied by Civil Administration personnel, swooped down on Givat Ronen (Ronen Hill) outside the Jewish town of Har Brachah in Shomron (Samaria) around 7:00 this morning. They demolished a large house belonging to the Afarsimon family, as well as a goat pen and a caravan (mobile home without wheels).

Unconfirmed reports state that a windshield of one of the security forces’ vehicles was smashed. The policemen surrounded each of the nearby houses, preventing the residents from leaving.

Anti-Jewish government actions in the Shomron are often met with a violent response against Arabs in the area, in a deterrent policy known as “Price Tag” or “Mutual Dependency.”  Every time an outpost, or even a part thereof, is demolished or evacuated, a response can be foreseen. One supporter of the policy was quoted as saying, “The time has come that there should be some crazies on our side as well, that the IDF and the Arabs should say, ‘Woa, we better not start up with those guys.’ That will make more order here, instead of the one-sidedness we have now. We have become the punching bag of both the army and the Arabs, and it’s time that they think twice before starting up with us.”

According to some reports, “Price Tag” was implemented today as well, leading to mutual rock-throwings between Jews and Arabs. One of the former was seriously wounded, taken unconscious or semi-conscious to a hospital in Petach Tikvah. Three others were also reported hurt, as were two Arabs.

Anti-settlement policies are generally attributed to Defense Minister Ehud Barak, but Shomron Regional Council head Gershon Mesika said, “It’s Binyamin Netanyahu, not Barak. Netanyahu is the boss, and he’s the one who stands behind the evil and totally unnecessary destruction of a home built by a young couple with their hard-earned money – while on the next mountain there are hundreds of illegal Arab buildings.”

The Shomron Residents Committee said, “Every time Barak goes to Washington [he is scheduled to arrive there today – ed.], he destroys some Jewish houses so that he can show Obama some photographs of Jewish destruction and the expulsion of families.”