Violent clashes broke out early Thursday morning as security forces attempted to dismantle the illegal Yisa Bracha outpost near the West Bank settlement of Mitzpeh Jericho.

A civil destruction crew, accompanied by officers from the Border Police and the Special Police Unit, arrived on the scene early Thursday to raze six houses. Over the course of the demolition, three settlers were arrested.

Open gallery view Security forces clashing with activists who tried to stop the demolition of homes in Migron outpost in September last year. Credit: Emil Salman

Protesting settlers hurled rocks at the security forces, who responded by firing tear gas and using batons. Three settlers were lightly wounded in the clashes with security forces.

Three police officers were also hurt, after they climbed onto a roof of one of the buildings to remove a protester who had barricaded himself there, and the roof collapsed.

A number of those wounded in the clashes were taken to Hadassah University Hospital, Mt. Scopus, in Jerusalem. Among the wounded was the son of right-wing activist Baruch Marzel, according to Channel 10.

Hours before the demolition at Mitzpeh Jericho, security forces razed a structure in the Oz Zion outpost, near Route 60. Protesting settlers threw rocks at the police forces, who responded with stun grenades.

Last week, the Israel Defense Forces demolished the illegal West Bank outpost Mitzpe Avichai near Kiryat Arba.This was the third outpost to be demolished by the IDF and the Civil Administration in a week, with Givat Arye and Gal Yossef, both near Shilo, being evicted earlier that week.

