Honenu Attorneys Keidar (L) and Rom (R); Photo credit: Honenu
Tuesday, June 24, 2025, 11:19 On Friday night, after the onset of Shabbat, in the Southern Har Hevron region, Arabs set fires at several locations around a farm under Jewish ownership adjacent to Susiya. Jewish residents of farms in the area assisted with extinguishing the fire.
Residents of the farm chased the arsonists in defense of the farm. During the chase, other Arabs came to assist the escaping arsonists and threw rocks at the residents. The residents, and security forces who were at the scene, were forced to defend themselves. A number of residents were detained after the chase.
Yesterday, a Jerusalem Magistrates Court judge ruled that the claims of arson and violence on the part of the Arabs should be examined. However, he also extended the remand of three detainees by two days. Honenu Attorneys Adi Keidar and Nati Rom, who are representing the detainees, explained that this was not the first time that Arabs had tried to set the farm on fire. Additionally, the attorneys leveled criticism at the police for not requesting a remand extension for even one of the Arabs suspected of arson, even though they were identified by residents of the farm.
Honenu Attorney Adi Keidar commented on the case: “The intentional helplessness of the Israel Police is evident once again. Israeli citizens were exposed to injury by Arabs, in this case arson very close to homes during Shabbat dinner, and not for the first time. When the victims, Israeli citizens, defended themselves, the found themselves detained, while the actual criminal were released.”
Honenu Attorney Nati Rom added: “This was an arson attempt – and not for the first time – with three points of origin on a farm under Jewish ownership. It was a life-threatening incident during which several Arabs threatened to throw rocks or actually did throw rocks at an IDF soldier and Jewish residents of the area. Additionally, although soldiers at the scene fired into the air because they felt that lives were endangered, the police interrogated the Jews, not the Arabs suspected of arson and throwing rocks. It is heartbreaking to see again and again that in a clash between terrorists and Yehuda and Shomron residents, the police insist on interrogating the Jews and not the terrorists.”