(JTA) — Palestinians are accused of uprooting 50 trees planted in the West Bank in memory of Ori Ansbacher, the 19-year-old woman who was raped and murdered in a forest outside Jerusalem by a Palestinian man.
Jewish settlers who were planting the grove Friday clashed with local Palestinians. The Israeli army intervened to halt the confrontation, Ynet reported.
The settlers said they noticed later that the Palestinians had uprooted the trees, which were planted between the Gush Etzion settlement of Tekoa, where Ansbacher had lived, and the settlement of Nokdim.
Ansbacher’s body was discovered on Feb. 7 outside of the Ein Yael Living Museum, in the Jerusalem forest, where she was working with children for her year of national service.
Arafat Irfaiya, 29, was arrested two days later, and he re-enacted the attack and murder for authorities, according to reports. Forensic evidence found at the scene had tied the Hebron man to the murder.
