Rabbi Daniel Cohen of the settlement of Bat Ayin (The one which the suspects came from) came out against the firebomb attack that injured six Palestinians two weeks ago.


Several teens from Bat Ayin were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the attack. A senior police source labeled the event a "Jewish terror attack."


In a letter to Bat Ayin residents, Rabbi Cohen said, "Such an act is a crime and points to moral degeneration that fails to distinguish between murder and defense, war and terror. Such acts are wrong and reprehensible; they indicate confusion and lack of judgment. "



"We pray that the suspicions against our children are proven false," he said in the letter to the residents.


He urged Bat Ayin's youth "not to be led astray by inflammatory ideas. Build yourselves with Torah and toil. Build this country with hard work and devotion. Join a yeshiva or the army."



The rabbi also addressed the national settlement debate. "The problem is not the Arabs, but an internal moral debate within the Israeli society." He stressed, "Harming Arabs is wrong and detrimental in terms of the debate." He concluded by saying, "Remember, it's okay to protest the government's – but only legally."



Meanwhile, police continue to investigate the firebomb attack. On Thursday, the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court remanded two suspects in custody. They are scheduled to be released on Friday unless significant headway is made in the investigation. Police said there was sufficient evidence for an indictment.




Meanwhile, the issue of settler violence against Arabs stirred yet another controversy in Givat Ronen. The outpost's residents claim that Har Brachaleaders had cut off their water supply as punishment for hurling rocks at Arabs.



They denied the allegations claiming they were victims of collective punishment. Women from Givat Ronen held a demonstration in Har Bracha.







http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4275231,00.html