Settlers accuse Israeli government of 'total destruction' in West Bank

Four settlers were arrested and another was injured as Israeli Border Police and Civil Administration officers demolished on Wednesday morning an illegal West Bank outpost in the Geva Binyamin region.

A structure in the Sde Yonatan outpost used by local settlers for residential purposes was razed by Israeli authorities. According to locals, security forces also demolished a nearby sheep's pen and confiscated items belonging to the settlers.

One Border Police officer was filmed threatening he would "break" a settler if he came near him during the demolition.

מפקד הפינוי סנ"צ מיקי ביטון לאחד התושבים: "עוד פעם אחת אתה מתקרב - אני מפרק אותך על שמונה". לתושב אחר שתיעד, לעג: "תצלם, תצלם טוב" pic.twitter.com/bsWTxJ4uur

— אלישע ירד (@ElishaYered) September 27, 2023

During the evacuation, dozens of hilltop youth from nearby settlements gathered to protest the razing. Right-wing groups railed against what they viewed as police brutality during the razing as they claimed one settler was "severely beaten" by police. 

Settlers: Israeli government carrying out total destruction

"The right-wing government is carrying out total destruction in the settlements while the Arabs next door celebrate," settler activist Elisha Yered said.

"This government was elected with settlers' votes in order to put an end to this policy of settlement-hunting and turning a blind eye to the Arabs.

Yet, almost a year after the government's formation, we keep waking up morning after morning to brutal and harsh campaigns of destruction. Every MK or minister who remains silent is complicit," he charged.