Speaking during an interview with the Haaretz daily, IDF Central District Commander Major-General Gadi Shamni expresses concern over the “several hundred extremists” comprising the fanatic fringe element in Yehuda and Shomron. The senior commander states that the overwhelming number of the close to 300,000 Yosh residents is perfectly normal.

He stated that what used to number several tens is now a group of hundreds of extremists, willing to use violence to achieve their objectives.

In recent weeks he explained, a dog was instructed to attack an officer, an officer’s hand was broken, tires of a military vehicle were slashed and in Chevron, an officer was attacked when soldiers tried to arrest Jewish children for throwing rocks at Arabs.

Shamni blames the current worrisome state of affairs partially on the leadership and rabbonim who generally give active or passive approval of their actions. He blames their actions for causing significant damage to the IDF’s image as well as the image of the State of Israel.

The senior commander adds he fears the numbers of the extremists continue to grow, and this he explains is cause for concern.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)