Furious Settlers Confront IDF As Rabin Prepares to Meet Bush

In an action timed to coincide with Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s visit to the United States, Jewish settlers held an angry and sometimes violent confrontation Sunday with Israeli soldiers as they unsuccessfully attempted to introduce a new Jewish presence in Hebron.

Just as they set up mini-settlements to greet visiting U.S. Secretary of State James Baker when the right-wing Likud government was in power, the restless settlers sought to erect some sort of edifice that would declare their refusal to reconcile themselves with the Palestinians.

The latest confrontation ended with an agreement in which the settlers gave the army their word that they would evacuate the “building” — four brick walls without a roof — and try to get the necessary permits for a settlement.

The Israel Defense Force, for its part committed itself not to demolish the structure within the next two weeks.

The confrontation revolved around the improvised building, which was set up overnight in an area between Kiryat Arba and a nearby neighborhood known as Harsina Hill.

The settlers fenced themselves inside and challenged the army to let them stay.

The settlers named the structure Lev Yehuda (The Heart of Judea), and announced that this was the first building in a new neighborhood which would link Kiryat Arba with its remote extension, Harsina Hill.

As the settlers refused to leave the struc- ture, soldiers were sent to evacuate them physically. The confrontation at times escalated into fistfights.

Two settlers were sent to a local clinic, one reportedly suffering from dehydration. The other claimed he had been struck by an IDF officer.

Police tried to detain 10 of the settlers. But just as the police van was about to leave the site with the settlers inside, the car’s wheels were punctured, and it was unable to move.

The confrontation ended with the compromise, and the detainees were released.

UNITS IN MOSLEM QUARTER OCCUPIED

The army, in a statement issued Sunday night, said legal investigations into the settlers arrested at Hebron earlier would continue, despite the amenable “truce” that had been secured.

The army said such actions detract from its genuine military duties.

In the meantime, settlers in the Moslem Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City announced Sunday night that they would occupy several apartments that had been legally purchased.

Ten Jewish families entered the four buildings in the Moslem Quarter at nightfall with no immediate incident.

Police were beefing up patrols throughout the walled city throughout the night, and Police Minister Moshe Shahal issued strict orders to prevent any breaches of the peace in whatever quarter.

But Shahal and his advisers resolved not to interfere with this latest move, as the buildings concerned appear to have been legally purchased by the Ateret Cohanim yeshiva and three other Jewish associations involved in purchasing real estate in the Old City.

Police sources said the purchases would be carefully examined in the days ahead.

Shahal said police would act against extremists of both sides who would try to take advantage of this situation.