Israel restricts movement for 10 in Jewish extremist crackdown

Israeli authorities have restricted the movements of 10 people amid a crackdown on Jewish extremists following the deadly firebombing of a Palestinian family's home, authorities said Sunday.

The orders range from a ban on entering the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where a number of wildcat Jewish settlement outposts are reputed to house extremist youths, to lesser restrictions.

Israel's Shin Bet domestic security agency said attacks had "emanated" from the Habaladim outpost near Duma, the Palestinian village where the firebombing that killed in July an 18-month-old and his father occurred.

"In light of a number of terror incidents recently, including the taking of human life... restraining orders have been signed in the past days against 10 activists," the Shin Bet said in a statement.

"These orders include various restrictions, among them on place of residence, movements during the night hours and preventing their entry to (the West Bank), among other things, to keep them away from illegal outposts, for example Habaladim, from which the attacks emanated."

A Shin Bet spokeswoman declined to elaborate, including on whether those responsible for the firebombing had left from Habaladim or if they were from there.

In the wake of the firebombing, three alleged Jewish extremists were placed in administrative detention, a controversial form of internment without trial usually used on Palestinians.

The firebombing led to criticism of Israel's security services over what critics said was a failure to tackle Jewish extremism earlier.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu labelled the firebombing "terrorism" and vowed to pursue the assailants through all legal means.
Source: AFP