A far-left activist tried to document the nascent Jewish community of Evyatar in Samaria on Thursday and tried to run over Israeli soldiers when they attempted to interrogate him.
The male suspect, whom Channel 14 News identified as an Israeli citizen, tried to take photos of the village and a nearby Israel Defense Forces outpost, according to the report on Thursday morning.
When security forces attempted to arrest him as he was leaving the area, he reportedly tried to run them over with his vehicle. The suspect was detained by the soldiers and transferred to Israel Police custody.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed to JNS that Israeli soldiers operating in the area of Evyatar had identified a “suspicious individual,” adding that troops managed to “stop him for questioning.
“The suspect attempted to flee and damaged an army vehicle; the soldiers held him until the arrival of the Israel Police,” it said. “The individual was transferred to the Israel Police for further processing.”
The Israel Police’s Spokesperson’s Unit did not comment on the arrest when asked by JNS on Thursday morning, and referred the inquiry back to the IDF.
The Israel Police has established a dedicated team to deal with the increasing phenomenon of far-left anarchists who are undermining security and stability in Judea and Samaria, Ynet reported in April.
The special division, which includes detectives from the investigation and intelligence unit who work in cooperation with immigration officers and officials from the Population and Immigration Authority, works under the command of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
“The anarchists I see in Judea and Samaria or Hebron are cursing IDF soldiers, exacerbating the situation, inciting and encouraging harm against Jews, thus harming the security of the state,” Ben-Gvir said.
Evyatar, a town established in memory of Evyatar Borovsky and Yehuda Guetta, who Palestinian terrorists murdered in separate attacks at the Tapuach Junction, is located south of the Arab city of Nablus (Shechem).
Evyatar received recognition under Israeli law in 2024 in a quid pro quo that saw Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who leads the Religious Zionism Party, prevent the Palestinian Authority’s financial collapse.
