Jewish Militants Demand Crackdown on Hebron Arabs

Militant Jewish settlers threatened today to take matters into their own hands if the army did not crack down harder on Arabs in Hebron who they claimed were jeopardizing the security of Jews.

A small group of Jews who have established themselves in Hebron, led by Rabbi Moshe Levinger, a Gush Emunim hardliner from adjacent Kiryat Arba, objected today when the army lifted an order that had closed all shops and buildings on Hebron’s main street for the past five days. The closure was imposed after an explosive was thrown at an Israeli military vehicle on the main street last Friday.

According to Levinger, “The security situation along the roads is unstable. A man leaves his home and doesn’t know what is going to happen to him.” The settlers are demanding that the army take more effective measures against the Arab population and special action against Hebron Mayor Mustapha Abdul Natshe who they alleged is a “PLO agent.”

Natshe complained to the Israeli authorities that the recent unrest in Hebron is the result of Jewish provocations. He pointed out that the West Bank city has been quiet for many years. Security sources said the tension only served the interests of the PLO to prove that Jews and Arabs could not coexist in peace.

The settlers insist that there is no solution but drastic action. They said that in the past month alone, 14 Jews were injured in more than 50 rock-throwing incidents. The settlers have already retaliated. Two Arab buses were set on fire last week and five electric utility poles erected by the Hebron municipality were torn down.

Local police have appointed a special investigating team to track down both Jewish and Arab attackers, but so far without results.