Title: Thousands March to Illegal West Bank Outpost, Israeli Army Tear Gasses Press, Palestinian Protesters - Israel News - Haaretz.com
BLUF: "Thousands of Israelis, including lawmakers and cabinet ministers, participated in a right-wing march to the evacuated West Bank outpost of Evyatar on Monday to demand its reestablishment.
. . .
"Ben-Gvir added that now, looking at the situation in Tel Aviv, “everyone understands why I insist on a national guard, this is the order of the day, a national guard to protect the residents of Israel.”
"The minister continued: “This statement, that we’re here, and we’re marching toward the future – and that today, ministers in the Israeli government are saying this – is a clear statement. I hope the entire State of Israel understands this.” Some of the participants shouted at Ben-Gvir to give them better security, and there were also marchers who asked him to leave. Daniela Weiss, chair of the Nachala settlement movement, praised the national security minister, but added that he “doesn’t fulfill his promises fast enough.”
Thousands of Israelis, including lawmakers and cabinet ministers, participated in a right-wing march to the evacuated West Bank outpost of Evyatar on Monday to demand its reestablishment. Twenty-two Palestinian counter-demonstrators were wounded by rubber-tipped bullets fired at them by the Israeli army after the rally, and more than 100 – some of them journalists – suffered from gas inhalation, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.
Seven ministers and roughly 20 coalition lawmakers – including Itamar Ben-Gvir, Bezalel Smotrich, Orit Strock, Simcha Rothman and Idit Silman – took part in the trek under the protection of Israeli security forces.
The march marked the first time that the Israeli army allowed settlers to enter the area of Evyatar and hold a large scale event there since its residents were evicted two years ago. Many roads in the area were blocked to traffic due to the march.
Settlers watch as thousands march through the West Bank, on Monday.Credit: Moti Milrod
The hill the outpost was built on lies above the Palestinian village of Beita, which has been demonstrating against the outpost ever since its construction.
As the march proceeded, IDF forces used tear gas and rubber-tipped bullets against Palestinians who demonstrated against land theft, with some of them hurling stones at the security forces. At least three Palestinians were evacuated to hospital.
Journalists of the Al Araby Press crew were also teargassed by the IDF forces. Another journalist needed medical treatment and was evacuated to hospital. Journalist Mahmoud Fawzy was wounded in his leg by a rubber bullet and required medical treatment.
In order to properly secure those taking part in the event, the Israeli army reassigned a battalion that had been searching for the terrorists who killed two sisters in a West Bank attack on Friday.
Among those who attended the Evyatar rally were Rabbis Dov Lior, Elyakim Levanon and Shmuel Eliyahu. More than 30 groups organized the day’s events, including the Shomron Regional Council and the Nachala movement – which were instrumental in the creation of the illegal outpost.
IDF forces fire tear gas at Palestinians who oppose the right-wing march towards the illegal outpost of Evyatar in the West Bank.
In addition to the army battalion and police officers, 13 Border Police companies took part in securing the march. In preparation for the event, the police blocked Route 505, which connects the Nablus area to the Jordan Valley. The road block impacted the movement of Palestinians and Jews in the area.
According to the march’s organizers, inflatable structures such as bouncy houses were brought to Evyatar to entertain children there, and some 140 buses made their way to the West Bank outpost.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, while participating in the march, said that the event shows “We aren’t surrendering to terror, not in Evyatar, not in Tel Aviv. Whoever surrenders to terror will surrender everywhere, but we’re here to say – the people of Israel are strong.”
Ben-Gvir added that now, looking at the situation in Tel Aviv, “everyone understands why I insist on a national guard, this is the order of the day, a national guard to protect the residents of Israel.”
The minister continued: “This statement, that we’re here, and we’re marching toward the future – and that today, ministers in the Israeli government are saying this – is a clear statement. I hope the entire State of Israel understands this.” Some of the participants shouted at Ben-Gvir to give them better security, and there were also marchers who asked him to leave. Daniela Weiss, chair of the Nachala settlement movement, praised the national security minister, but added that he “doesn’t fulfill his promises fast enough.”
Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir joins Israeli settlers as they hold a protest march from Tapuach Junction to the Israeli settler outpost of Evyatar.Credit: NIR ELIAS/ REUTERS
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told Haaretz while marching that “We’re building here and financing roads and Infrastructure… God willing, we’ll bring here another half a million Jews on top the half a million that are all ready here.”
When asked by Haaretz why the Evyatar outpost has not been legalized yet, Religious Zionism lawmaker Zvi Sukkot said that the government will soon do so. “There’s a certain order to these things,” he added, “We got the responsibility for the Civil Administration only recently…legalizing such an outpost takes time. We’re not afraid of America.”
Israeli settlers walk on the day of a protest march from Tapuach Junction to the Israeli settler outpost of Evyatar.Credit: NIR ELIAS/ REUTERS
Yossi Dagan, the head of the Shomron Regional Council, also told Haaretz that “Evyatar will be like Sebastia and hundreds more settlements will be built in Samaria and throughout the Land of Israel.”
During the rally that took place after the march, Ben-Gvir addressed the crowd and said: “We’re returning home to the Land of Israel and to the Temple Mount and Jerusalem… We legalized nine outposts and god willing we’ll legalize and build more… The answer to terror is to keep on building more.”
Commenting on the march, U.S. States Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel issued a statement saying that “it is critical for Israel and the Palestinian Authority to refrain from unilateral steps that incite tensions that undercut efforts to advance a negotiated two-state solution,” including the “annexation of territory, evictions, demolitions, violence against civilians violence against journalists, incitement to violence, and things of that nature.”
