Settlers say incendiary Left has declared open season on them
After Shin Bet chief warns extreme-right may carry out political
assassination, livid settler leaders issue sharp response to government's
newfound heavy hand. 'Words from the Left can also kill,' they say
Efrat Weiss YNET Published: 11.02.08, 22:52 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3616727,00.html

"Settlers make wonderful scapegoats, they're to blame for everything; be it
Qassams fired from the Gaza Strip or plummeting dollar rates. They make
excellent prey. Ahead of the elections there are those who are trying to
dance in the blood of settlers, but they will not succeed," Rabbi Elyakim
Levanon of the West Bank settlement of Elon Moreh told Ynet on Sunday
following the government's harsh condemnation of the extreme right in the
territories.

Settler leaders were beside themselves with rage about the "campaign of
incitement" they say is being waged against their public in an effort to
score political points.

Community officials in the West Bank are warning that such rhetoric is not
only polarizing, but also liable to put the lives of settlers at risk.

"The Arabs also incite against us," says Danny Dayan, chairman of the Yesha
Council. "As it is they are motivated to attack us, but when they see open
season has been declared on us from the other side as well - the next murder
could be aimed at us.. People can say whatever they want about settlers, and
it's allowed. Words that come from the Left can also kill."

'This will only strengthen us'

The council's director-general, Pinchas Wallerstein, said the wave of
polemic arises every year as Israel marks the anniversary of late Prime
Minister Yitzhak Rabin's murder at the hands of Yigal Amir.

"Every November there is a fresh campaign of incitement against settlers.
The man who murdered the prime minister came from Herzliya, and yet I still
don't think that all residents of Herzliya are potential murderers of prime
ministers."

Speaking at Sunday's cabinet meeting, Shin Ben Director Yuval Diskin warned
of another political assassination. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and various
other ministers also spoke out against the recent bout of violence directed
towards the army by extreme-right settlers in the West Bank.

Wallerstein took a decidedly more temperate tone than Dayan, saying that not
all the ministers were culpable. "If there are lawbreakers in the West Bank
then they should be dealt with using all the tools at the law's disposal.
The aberrant use of generalizations and administrative injunctions will only
fan the flames.

Former chairwoman of Kedumim and herself a key proponent of the outposts,
Daniella Weiss insists the new measures will only strengthen the resolve of
the settlers.

"In the past the police were given the task of 'wiping out the hilltop
youths.' At the time they thought there were only a few dozen, afterwards it
became a few hundred and now they understand that there are untold
thousands, and this has the government panicked. We can endure hardship, it
will only strengthen us," said Weiss, who was recently charged with
assaulting a police officer.