Ax Attack Among Incidents Keeping Security Forces Busy

A Palestinian threw an ax at a Jewish teen-age girl Tuesday in Hebron, slightly wounding her in the head.

The girl, identified as Tirza Daniel, was released after being treated on the spot.

The assailant fled the scene, and security forces closed off the area. A number of suspects were detained.

After Tuesday’s attack, Jewish residents from the Hebron area caused disturbances in the market. Some were detained on suspicion of trying to attack Arabs, Israel Radio reported.

Jewish settlers also called on Israel to crack down on violence. Last week, two elderly Jews were stabbed outside the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron.

Meanwhile, the head of the Israeli army’s central command issued orders Tuesday to 12 Jewish settlers from the Nablus area, restricting their movement.

The settlers, all of whom study at the religious seminary at Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus, were ordered to remain in the settlement Yizhar, where they live, and to register daily with police.

The orders were signed after the army received information that the 12 settlers could cause disturbances if allowed in the area of the yeshiva in Nablus, the Israel Defense Force spokesman’s office said.

Nablus has been under Palestinian self-rule as of last week.

But the students set up a temporary yeshiva outside the Nablus city limits, Israel Television reported.

In another development, Israeli and Palestinian security forces in Kalkilya began joint patrols in the area, after Sunday’s IDF redeployment from the West Bank town.

The mayor of Kalkilya sent a letter to the council head of the nearby settlement Alfe Menashe, saying that he hoped that two communities could develop peaceful and neighborly relations.

The council head had cabled a congratulatory message Sunday to the Palestinian mayor.