An Arab youth set fire to Beit El’s western perimeter fence in four spots over the course of the Sabbath – possibly as an initiation test for a terrorist organization.
Menachem Tzur, Beit El’s security officer, told Arutz-7, “The Arab came close enough to be seen by the residents in their homes. Right below their homes is a security road, then the fence, and on the other side is some empty area of dry brush. The Arab went and set fires in four different places along the fence, and the smoke could be seen from afar.”
“Another member of our security team called the army. He told them, ‘I see the arsonist, come quick!’ but they only came ten minutes later, by which time he had disappeared… An evaluation will be held today (Monday) to see what exactly happened there.”
Tzur’s implied criticism was balanced by his praise for the army: “In general, the army is a great help to us, thwarting attacks and catching terrorists.”
“The big problem in such cases,” Tzur said, “is that sensors on the fence, which set off an alarm if someone touches it, could be damaged. Damage of tens of thousands of shekels could be caused, not to mention the security risks.”
“There have been similar cases in the past,” said Tzur, whose mother and brother were murdered when Palestinian terrorists shot at their car (Chanukah 1996), “as well as hanging flags or posters on the fence. It could be an initiation rite, or a test of our readiness; we’re not sure.”