A clash between Arabs and Jews erupted Saturday when a blaze consumed a Jewish field in the Southern Hebron Hills area. Police suspect the fire was started either by Arabs, left-wing Jewish activists working with the Arabs, or both.
Tzviki Bar-Chai, Mayor of the Southern Hevron Hills Regional Council, demanded army and police investigations into Saturday’s violence. “What is clear is that occasionally on Shabbat these provocateurs instigate a commotion," he said. "Just last week, they called IDF soldiers Nazis."
The residents of Asa'el, a small Jewish neighborhood south of Susia in southern Judea, 25 miles south of Jerusalem, said that Arabs approached their fields during the Sabbath and began setting them ablaze. Some of the residents then called the police and army, while at the same time apprehending six of the men responsible for lighting the fires. One of the arsonists was tied to a pole until the police or army could take responsibility.
Firefighters were also called to the scene, as three acres of Jewish fields went up in flames. Spokespersons for the community said they would also investigate the complaints filed by Abu Kirash, who claimed that he was beaten when tied to the pole. A clip of the incident circulated by left-wing activists show that the suspected arsonist was tied and kicked once by an angry resident.
A local Arab named Khalil Khalayla was widely quoted on Israeli media - the Jewish side was not given equal play - saying the Jews "began to set fire to plots of land and shoot at the farmers... They tied up [one of our number] in a standing position and proceeded to beat him."
Asa'el, established nearly seven years ago, is located three kilometers south-east of Shima, a Jewish town with over nearly 50 families. Seven families live in Asa'el, which contains eight structures and an access road. The Ministry of Housing and Construction provided 150,000 shekels for its development, according to the Peace Now website.