Hilltop 26

Hilltop, outpost or lot 26 was an illegal Israeli settlement founded by Nethanel Ozeri. It was founded near the city of Hebron in the West Bank. It lay approximately 100 metres from the Kiryat Arba[?] settlement. At the time of its destruction, it had a population of around ten.

The settlement was peacefully dismantled on 24 March 2003 by the Israel Defence Force (IDF). The settlement had been created without a permit, and was therefore illegal under Israeli law. The settlement had also been built on private Palestinian land. The rogue settlement was the first to be destroyed during Ariel Sharon's second term of office.

Nethanel Ozeri

The settlement made headlines following the death of Nethanel Ozeri on 17 January 2003. Ozeri was killed in the evening by two Palestinian gunmen from Hamas. One of the gunmen was killed by other Israelis present, while the second gunman was tracked and killed later by the IDF. Ozeri belonged to the banned anti-Arab Kach movement.

During Ozeri's funeral, hundreds of settlers went into Hebron, smashing windows and setting cars alight.

External links

• March 24 statement (http://www.idf.il/english/announcements/2003/march/24.stm) - IDF statement on the end of the settlement