CPTnet
8 February 2007
HEBRON: Israeli soldiers detain Palestinian boys and CPTers

On Wednesday 7 February, Israeli soldiers detained three CPTers in the area
around the Beit Romano checkpoint while they were trying to negotiate the
release of two young Palestinian boys, aged thirteen and fifteen.

At 3:15 p.m., Barbara Martens noticed photojournalists trying to take
pictures between the cracks of the metal checkpoint doors, and established
that the Israeli army had detained the youths. Jan Benvie and Abigail Ozanne
joined Martens who then asked the soldiers to release the boys. The
soldiers refused and claimed that the boys had thrown stones at them. The
three CPTers were unable to see clearly what was happening to the boys,
because the soldiers were holding the boys behind the metal gates.

Bill Baldwin and Dianne Roe succeeded in reaching the boys, having walked
along a road illegally restricted to Israeli settler use. Israeli soldiers
prevented Roe's attempt to speak to the boys. The soldiers then blindfolded
the already handcuffed boys and ordered Baldwin and Roe to leave the area.
Both CPTers refused to leave and the squad leader informed them they were
under arrest. Throughout this exchange, Ozanne was able to videotape
through a gap in the metal gates.

Seven soldiers then came out of the gates and yelled the gathered
journalists and Palestinians. They pointed their guns, threatened arrest
and one soldier prepared to throw a grenade, causing the crowd to scatter.
One soldier grabbed Ozanne and pulled her into the area behind the gate,
telling her she was under arrest.

The soldiers took the two boys toward the military base. Throughout the
incident, the soldiers refused to give any information to the waiting father
and grandfather of one of the boys.

Benvie and Martens monitored the activity at a short distance away from the
gates to see if the soldiers would release the CPTers. The squad commander
came out of the gate and physically forced Benvie, under protest, into the
area beyond the gate. Martens managed to slip by the soldiers.

The Israeli civilian police took Benvie, Ozanne and Roe to Kiryat Arba
police station, but released Baldwin. The police told the CPTers they are
allowed to photograph soldiers. They viewed CPT's videotape, and then
released the CPTers after one hour.

The Israeli army held the boys at the military base for five hours, and then
released them.

For video footage of this incident, see http://tinyurl.com/yovkry

A map of Hebron's Old City area is at http://tinyurl.com/3xe8tz.