In a recent incident, extremist settler activists launched a violent attack on Civil Administration and Border Police personnel who were involved in the evacuation and demolition of the illegal West Bank outpost of Tzur Harel. The aggression began when the rioters hurled Molotov cocktails at the forces. This followed an earlier act of burning tires and setting a vehicle ablaze at the entrance to the outpost as the authorities arrived to carry out the evacuation, according to Times of Israel.
In their resistance efforts, the settler activists even went to the extent of cementing their legs into the ground. Despite these aggressive tactics, the operation proceeded, resulting in the demolition of six makeshift buildings at Tzur Harel. Following the demolitions, masked rioters escalated the situation by throwing rocks at passing vehicles on a nearby road, targeting both civilian and security personnel. One of these rocks struck the car of a Civil Administration official, shattering the windshield and demonstrating the severity of the resistance.
The Civil Administration, which oversees civil affairs in the West Bank, stated that Tzur Harel had been illegally constructed on private Palestinian land. Due to the anticipated violent resistance, a substantial number of Border Police personnel, totaling around 70 officers, were deployed to the outpost for the evacuation. This large force was deemed necessary to handle the aggressive actions of the settlers and to ensure the safety of the operation.
Sources familiar with the situation at Tzur Harel noted that the outpost had been a hotspot for violent nationalistic activity. This prompted Brig. Gen. Hisham Ibrahim, head of the Civil Administration, to carry out a rapid operation to dismantle the outpost, an action that had received approval from the “political echelon.”
The evacuation and demolition of Tzur Harel highlight the ongoing tensions and conflicts in the West Bank, where illegal settlements often lead to clashes between settlers and authorities. This incident underscores the complexities and challenges faced by the Civil Administration and Border Police in maintaining order and enforcing the law in a highly volatile region. The violent resistance exhibited by the settler activists not only disrupted the operation but also posed significant risks to the safety of the personnel involved.