Within Israel, much of the attention was focused on the growing strains between the militant settler groups and the army.

On Tuesday, Israel's Defense Ministry and settler groups announced plans for the construction of about 30 houses at Maskiot.

A settler group named Tazpit Unit claimed to have documented Palestinians destroying trees with the intention of blaming settlers for the destruction.

The Beroms have been accused of resenting the economic progress of other settler groups: yet, this is another simplistic assertion.

Mr. Sharon's remarks drew sharp criticism from settler groups.

Due to the arrival of disparate settler groups from outside through the ages, it is now a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multilingual country.

He moved to Israel and became involved with a settler group near Hebron.

And, except for those in Maale Adumim, neither did settler groups, saying it was not enough.

The army claims it is policing settlers no less than Palestinians, but some aggressive settler groups brag they have been inflicting retaliatory damage on Palestinian neighborhoods.

Indeed, his statements brought howls from Jewish settler groups in the occupied territories.