Israeli settlers, Palestinians skirmish near Itamar

Matan Fogel, brother of murdered Udi Fogel of infamous Itamar killings, lightly injured in altercation.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Fogel family 311 (photo credit: Courtesy: Itamar community)
Fogel family 311
(photo credit: Courtesy: Itamar community)
Matan Fogel was one of two settlers lightly injured Thursday in an altercation with Palestinians on Hill 777, an outpost near Itamar in the West Bank. Matan is the younger brother of Udi Fogel, whom two adolescent Palestinians murdered along with his wife and three children 13 months ago.
Settler sources said that Fogel and the second man injured had been herding sheep when a group of Palestinians began stoning them and beating them with clubs.
Following the incident, Matan and his companion were taken to the hospital by Magen David Adom paramedics on the scene.
In contrast, the Palestinians involved claimed that the two settlers attacked them first while they were farming near Kfar Yanoun.
According to the Palestinian account, three Palestinians were wounded in the fight and five were subsequently arrested by security forces.
A Palestinian Authority official stated that the Palestinians were assaulted by the settlers while tending to their fields, the Palestinian news agency Ma’an reported.
The incident represents the second altercation between Israeli shepherds and Palestinians in the area in the last week. The altercations started shortly after Palestinians began farming in the restricted area of Harish.