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Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Image: Palestine Chronicle)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

“Instead of establishing and approving more farms and expanding Jewish settlements, we surrender to the enemy,” the extremist minister said. 

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to fire Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Israeli media reported. 

His call came after the army seized equipment brought by illegal settlers in the past two days to establish a settlement outpost in the occupied West Bank, where a settler was killed last week.

“Defense Minister Gallant’s decision to evacuate and destroy buildings on the Gal Yosef farm where 14-year old Benjamin Achimeir was murdered…represents terrible obtuseness, moral confusion, security folly, and a violation of the dignity of the dead,” Ben-Gvir said on X.

Two Palestinians were killed and scores were injured, while a large number of homes and vehicles were set ablaze during the violent attacks launched soon after the announcement of a settler’s disappearance north of Ramallah. 

Achimeir was later found dead near the village of Duma, south of Nablus. Israeli forces said that he had been “murdered in a terrorist attack,” without providing any evidence and before any investigation was carried out.

“Instead of establishing and approving more farms and expanding Jewish settlements, we surrender to the enemy,” the extremist minister said. 

“The time has come for the prime minister to consider replacing Minister Gallant.”

Ben-Gvir’s remarks came following Gallant’s statements on Saturday, urging for restraint amid the Jewish settler rampage. 

“I appeal to the public, let the security forces act quickly in the hunt for the terrorists,” he wrote on X.

“Acts of revenge will make it difficult for our soldiers in their mission. The law must not be taken into one’s own hands,” he added.

Settler Rampage

On Friday, at least 1,500 settlers, accompanied by Israeli forces, stormed the town of Al-Mughayir, northeast of Ramallah, the official Palestinian news agency, WAFA, reported.

Jihad Abu Aliya, 25, was shot and killed by live ammunition fired at his home.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said that the settlers opened fire on one of its ambulances on the way to reach the wounded in the town.

The PRCS also said it dealt with at least 18 cases of injuries, one of them critical. Eight of those injuries were due to live ammunition fired on the residents.

Around 40 Palestinian homes and vehicles were set alight.

On Saturday mobs of settlers continued their rampage across the West Bank.

The Ministry of Health confirmed the killing of 17-year-old Omar Ahmed Hamed due to critical injuries sustained during an attack by settlers on the village of Beitin, northeast of Ramallah, reported WAFA.

At times accompanied by Israeli forces, armed settlers attacked several other villages including Abu Falah, Duma, al-Sawiyeh and Huwara.

The PRCS said Israeli forces attacked an ambulance on Saturday and smashed the vehicle’s windows in the town of Duma, in the Nablus district.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 463 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers’ gunfire in the occupied West Bank since October 7.

(The Palestine Chronicle)

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