Vandalized IDF guard post
Vandalized IDF guard postYItzhar spokesperson

A group of Arabs broke into an IDF outpost near the town of Yitzhar in Samaria Thursday night and vandalized the site with anti-Semitic and anti-Israel graffiti.

It is unknown whether there were any IDF forces stationed at the outpost at the time of the vandalism.

The IDF has closed certain access routes used by Arabs to reach their olive groves during the harvest season in response to the incident.

The IDF permitted Arabs to use the roads close to Yitzhar for the olive harvest, just as it had in previous years. Incidents of violence and vandalism have taken place during the olive harvesting season during previous years as well. Last year stones were thrown at Yitzhar residents on an internal access road during the harvest season and a soldier was stabbed and moderately wounded.

Among the graffiti was the phrase "Death to the Jews" and a picture equating the star of David with the Nazi swastika.

Residents of Yitzhar have called for the access granted to Arabs during the harvest to be rescinded altogether.

"We are dismayed by this penetration, which could have been much worse." said Uriah Cohen, the head of the Secretariat of Yitzhar. "The so-called 'secure harvest' has proven itself time and time again to put people's lives in danger. It is time that we ended this farce once and for all."