Under the slogan "Arafat must be defeated," the right-wing demonstration, the largest since Ariel Sharon became Prime Minister, provided a venue for the anger of Jewish settlers, some of whom had rioted and destroyed Palestinian property earlier in the day in response to the Tuesday night stoning of five-month-old Yehuda Hayim Shoham, a Shilo resident still fighting for his life.

The rally was similar to one held in November last year,

"Terrorism must be eradicated" - Shilo resident Yael Avraham

which protested Prime Minister Ehud Barak's policy of restraint. Protest organizers from the Council of Settlements of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip quoted from a speech made by opposition leader Ariel Sharon made at the previous rally, when Sharon launched a verbal attack on Arafat and the Oslo accords. Even so, rally leaders were quick to point out that last night's protest was aimed against the government's policies and not against the Prime Minister.

Former Defense Minister Moshe Arens (Likud) was the first speaker at the rally. "The majority of the people of Israel has awoken and come to the realization that we will never reach an agreement with Arafat, and that the person we are dealing with is a terrorist leader," Arens said.

Rabbi Motti Elon, the head of Jerusalem's Horev Yeshiva, said, "We do not have the strength any more to be silent against this terrible lie [of Oslo] that has been going on these past years."

Shilo resident Yael Avraham showed the crowd the stone that hit the infant Yehuda Shoham on his head Tuesday night. "Who likes war?" she asked, "Nobody. But since when do we only do what we like doing? Terrorism must be eradicated."

Interviewed on Israel Radio this morning, Internal Security Minister Uzi Landau (Likud) said that as a member of the government he was unable to attend the rally, but he identified with the protestors' message. "The government's policy of restraint has to change," Landau said.

Settlers riot, destroying Palestinian property
Earlier yesterday dozens of angry settlers rioted in the Palestinian villages of Luban a-Sharkiya and A-Sawiya, reacting to the stoning of Yehuda Shoham by Palestinians on a nearby road.

"People live here (in the settlements), and it is inconceivable that we should be left defenseless," said Rabbi Michael Brom. "The government and the army are responsible for providing us with minimal, basic protection."

Rabbi Yaacov Libi of Shilo said that the Jewish settlers had "intended to protest quietly, but when the Palestinians began stoning us, some of the residents - due to the pain and frustration they feel - refused to ignore the actions of the villagers."

Nine Palestinians and one Israeli border guard were injured as the settlers set fire to fields, broke windows and damaged several businesses and classrooms in the villages and threw stones at the residents.

The B'Tselem organization charged that Palestinian ambulances were prevented by the IDF from entering the villages. B'Tselem claimed that at least one Palestinian was wounded by a blow to the head from a soldier's rifle.

Three settlers were questioned for their parts in the riot. Israeli police forces reportedly filmed the riot on video, intending to identify the perpetrators and prepare indictments against them. Ha'aretz cited IDF officers who said that they did not use force against the settlers.

Yesterday Jewish residents of Hebron clashed with Palestinians. Border policemen dispersed the settlers and prevented them from entering Palestinian controlled areas of the city.

This morning Jewish settlers uprooted trees, burned fields and destroyed hothouses belonging to Palestinians in the Ramallah area after three Israelis were moderately wounded late last night by Palestinian gunfire near the settlement of Halamish.

In its editorial today, Ha'aretz warned, "Palestinians and Jewish settlers who embark on privately initiated attacks or on acts of retaliation could cause the cease-fire's collapse and could destroy any chances of peace talks." The fragile cease-fire that exists today would be destroyed if "both sides are unable to contain the violent behavior of their citizens," the paper wrote.

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