Israeli police in riot gear started evicting hardline Jewish settlers from a disputed building in the West Bank city of Hebron today after days of stone-throwing clashes with Palestinians.
Tensions have been high in the flashpoint city since the Israeli High Court on November 16th ordered settlers to vacate the building they have been occupying since March 2007.
Israeli television footage showed police dragging settlers out by force, some of them kicking and screaming. It is unclear how many were inside at the time of the raid.
Israel's ZAKA emergency rescue service said Israeli forces used tear gas during the raid. Dozens of people were injured. Stun grenades were also to disperse the settlers, some of whom fought hand to hand with neighbouring Palestinians, witnesses said.
Ahead of the evacuation, hundreds of settler supporters and activists had flocked to the area in solidarity with the building's Jewish occupants.
The standoff in Hebron had raised fears that ideological friction in Israel could explode into internal violence before a Febraury parliamentary election to replace outgoing prime minister Ehud Olmert.
Mr Olmert has publicly warned of a new ultranationalist underground that threatened both Israel and its chances of peace with Palestinians.
Reuters