Some 100 Palestinians clash with IDF soldiers in Hebron

By Haaretz Service

Some 100 Palestinian protesters marched to the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron on Monday and clashed with Israel Defense Forces soldiers there, following the government's decision to include it on its list of protected Jewish holy sites.

A crowd of Palestinian youths pelted Israeli soldiers with stones and empty bottles on Monday, drawing tear gas and stun grenades in the most serious violence in this volatile West Bank city in months.

The Israel Defense Forces said one soldier was lightly wounded, while
Palestinians said three protesters suffered from tear gas inhalation.

Netanyahu told ministers during a special cabinet meet on Sunday that the rightist religious party Shas persuaded him add both the Hebron site as well as Rachel's Tomb to the list.

"Our existence depends not only on the IDF or our economic resilience - it is anchored in," he said, "the national sentiment that we will bestow upon the coming generations and in our ability to justify our connection to the land."

The plan has a government budget of over NIS 500,000 to renovate and restore the national heritage sites.