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Clashes in Hebron as eviction begins

Illegal West Bank settlements will not be allowed, says Israeli Prime Minister

HEBRON: Israeli police armed with batons evicted dozens of Jewish squatters from a Palestinian home in the volatile West Bank city of Hebron on Sunday, in an important first test for Israel's new government and its plans to uproot tens of thousands of settlers.

The clearing of the three-story building was over in 2 1/2 hours, and encountered no serious resistance.

The operation was in marked contrast to the violent evacuation of part of a tiny West Bank settlement outpost in February, when more than 200 police and teenage protesters were injured.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was widely criticised for his handling of that operation while heading a a caretaker government.

In related news, Mr. Olmert told his Cabinet at its first meeting on Sunday that he would brook no illegal West Bank settlement outposts.

Police stormed the occupied building in Hebron after sawing through a barricaded metal door.

They appealed to the settlers — some with toddlers and babies — to leave peacefully, and some agreed. But others had to be dragged out, including one woman whose infant was bawling as officers carried it out.

Jewish settlers outside the building tried to force their way inside immediately after police, protected by riot gear, sawed off the door.

But police dragged the struggling protesters away, sometimes slapping them to calm their thrashing.

Police injured

In all, three squatter families and 27 young sympathisers from the Hebron area were removed from the building, police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said. Nineteen security personnel were injured, and 17 settlers were arrested, he said.

Neither he nor the rescue services had an immediate accounting of settlers wounded, but Israel's Army Radio said seven settlers were slightly injured.

Avi Harush, a police commander for the operation, said the evacuation proceeded slowly because the building was very dark, and the stairwell very narrow.

``There are children inside, even babies,'' Mr. Harush told Israel Radio. ``We don't want one hair on their head to be hurt.''

Hebron, a city holy to Jews and Muslims, is home to about 160,000 Palestinians and some 500 ultranationalist Jewish settlers who live in heavily fortified enclaves. — AP

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