Israeli security forces last night evicted about 50 right-wing Jews who had briefly occupied the site of the ancient synagogue in the West Bank town of Jericho, which is under Palestinian control, writes Mark Weiss.
The protesters stormed the site after breaking through a Palestinian security checkpoint, defying Israeli law, which bans citizens from entering areas of the West Bank under control of the Palestinian Authority.
After the extremists reached the synagogue, the Israeli army ordered the Palestinian security forces to keep away from the area, saying they would evacuate the protesters themselves. Thirty-five protesters were arrested.
The group included Michael Ben Ari, a member of the Knesset parliament from the right-wing National Union Party, and several prominent far-rightists. The Jews held prayers at the synagogue and raised the Israeli flag before being removed.