950811

Israel lets settlers stay on West Bank hill

AL-KHADER (West Bank): An Israeli spokesman said on Friday hundreds of Jewish settlers in a protest encampment on a West Bank hilltop would be allowed to remain there over the weekend, but would be evicted later.

Jewish settlers are conducting a campaign of symbolic encampments to illustrate their claim to the West Bank while Israeli and Palestinian leaders negotiate an expansion of Palestinian self-rule in the area.

Some 200 settlers are camped on what they call Givat Hadagan, a rocky hilltop outside the Palestinian village of al-Khader near Bethlehem, just south of Jerusalem.

Police spokesman Eric Bar-Chen said: "The police for various reasons have decided to leave them where they are for the weekend. Toward the end of the weekend the police and the army will decide on actions after that. We still do intend to remove them from there."

In Israel, Saturday is the day of rest and Sunday is the first day of the business week.

In the past two weeks, Israeli forces have repeatedly dragged settlers off hilltops while the settlers have steadfastly returned the next day.

On Tuesday settlers tied up traffic all over Israel in a protest on the highways.

Israeli forces looked poised to clear away the al-Khader settlers early on Friday, but suddenly left the hill with their trucks that were prepared for evicted settlers.-Reuter