Jewish assailants attack reservists, Palestinian workers, and CNN crew in Hebron Hills

Two Israeli reservists and about 10 activists from the left-wing Jewish group Bnei Avraham were attacked on Monday while accompanying a Palestinian family’s farm work in Halhul, in the West Bank. A CNN news crew was also on site filming the incident. The assault began shortly after the activists arrived, when three Jewish assailants came to the area and started attacking the activists and Palestinians.

According to the report and video material obtained by ynet, the reservists had volunteered to help protect the activists and the Palestinians and were beaten hard. One reservist, Maj. Tom Panhasi, said, “Random construction of outposts leads to loss of control in Judea and Samaria... There is a security danger, negligence and disregard for the lives of Palestinians and Israelis alike.” He said the violence stemmed from an illegal outpost above the farmland that is repeatedly evacuated by the army and from a shortage of forces to deal with such incidents.

An activist said around 10 of them went to Halhul with CNN journalists, were led by Palestinians to an orchard, and worked briefly before a group of three violent settlers began shouting and threatening them. He said more men arrived by car, blocked cameras, entered the field, and threatened even small girls. He added that a military force came to “disperse the clash,” but in practice, he said, it gave the attackers what they wanted.

When the Palestinians returned to the vehicles, they found smashed windows and mirrors and punctured tires, including on CNN’s car. The activists said police arrived only after a long delay and that fighting resumed in the meantime. The two reservists later filed a complaint with police. The IDF said Israeli and Palestinian civilians had come to the unauthorized outpost near the Oqa’ifim, and that troops tried to disperse everyone while Israeli civilians broke windows and damaged vehicles.