Arabs lit fires on Sunday in grazing fields belonging to the Rimonim Farm near the spot on Route 449, which leads to the village of Mevo'ot Yericho where a Jewish shepherd was attacked three days prior.
Dozens of volunteers from the farms and hilltop communities in the area rushed to the scene and after half an hour, they managed to get the blaze under control. However, only half an hour after the Jews left the area upon extinguishing the flames, Arabs returned and lit another fire a mere 100 meters from the original blaze.
The residents returned with fire-extinguishing means, but this time they encountered several Arab rioters who drove on the road, threw rocks at the volunteers battling the fire, and fled toward Jericho. The windshield of one of the Jewish residents' car was shattered, and another resident was injured by a rock that was thrown at him.
A military force from the Jordan Valley Brigade managed to stop seven rioters at the entrance to Jericho, who according to the residents, may have been responsible for the arson.
This was the third fire lit in the area in the past 24 hours. On Saturday afternoon as well, Arabs set the farm's grazing fields alight.
Residents of the farm say that most of the time, the field ranks of the IDF and police attempt to assist in stopping the suspects, but to stop the dangerous phenomenon the full involvement of the IDF and Shin Bet is required: "This arson has exactly one goal, just like the recent attacks on shepherds on the hilltops and farms, and that is for the Jews to retreat from the area so a Palestinian state could be established."
According to the farmers, "Almost every day there is Arab arson that consumes a large amount of the grazing fields and sometimes even gets close to the residents' homes. This crazy situation has nearly turned into a routine, but other than low-ranking officers in the field who take the initiative and try to help, the defense establishment turns a blind eye to this dangerous phenomenon. This is terrorism by all means and it may even cost human life. The defense establishment needs to wake up and allocate all resources needed to catch the terrorists and plant deterrence in the hearts of the Arabs in the area."