YERUSHALAYIM -

Thursday, November 30, 2017 at 6:18 am |

The rescue efforts after the near-lynch, Thursday. (Medabrim Tikshoret)

B’chasdei Shamayim, IDF soldiers prevented a “lynch” that was in progress in Shomron, as a group of some 20 Jewish bar-mitzvah-age children and two adult escorts on a hike were savagely attacked by dozens of Arab rioters, an incident that could’ve, chas v’shalom, had a much worse ending. The Jewish children were forced to run, and ended up taking shelter inside a cave. One of the rioters was shot by a security officer who was accompanying the group. A Palestinian news agency report said that the rioter died from his wounds.

The incident occurred near the town of Migdalim, outside Shechem. The route used by the hikers was approved by the IDF, and was not located near any Arab town or village. Nevertheless, the group was attacked by a large gang of Arab rioters, who threw stones and bricks at the children. Witnesses said that three of the children were injured. The children eventually made their way to a cave in order to escape the attack. A Palestinian report said that the children were being “held prisoner” in the cave.

During the rioting, a security guard who was accompanying the group shot in the air in order to ward off the rioters. A 48-year-old Arab was hit by the bullets, later dying of his wounds. Arabs were able to reach another security guard, pummeling him with rocks and stealing his weapon.

The group called for police and army assistance, and the latter arrived after several minutes and broke up the riot. The children were eventually evacuated from the area on an IDF bus. The Honenu legal rights organization has volunteered to defend the security guard who shot the rioter, and has filed a complaint with security forces demanding that the rioters be arrested. Commenting on the attack, Shomron Council head Yossi Dagan asked the army to “act with full determination to arrest the rioters. Unfortunately, this is the way things are when a group is out in the field in this area. I have high praise for the adults accompanying the group who acted to defend the children against the rioters.”