HEBRON: Israeli military and police remain passive in the face of settler harassment of Palestinians and internationals
February 15th, 2008
in:
CPTnet
15 February
HEBRON: Israeli military and police remain passive in the face of settler harassment of Palestinians and internationals
On Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 January 2008, a crowd of Israeli settlers invaded the yard area of a home near the Israeli settlement of Kiryat Arba, on the outskirts of Hebron. The settlers threw stones at members of the Abu Siefen family, injuring several people.
The Israeli settlers who carried out the attacks had been occupying nearby Palestinian land in Wadi al Nasara, since Wednesday 9 January. On Wednesday, the owner of the land went to the Israeli police with legal documents (from the Israeli High Court) proving his ownership of the land. He requested that the police remove the settlers, but they refused to do so.
For five days, the Israeli police and military present in the area prevented Palestinians from using the road adjacent to the occupied land, forcing them to take a detour through muddy ground. Throughout this time, the Israeli forces stood by and watched when young settlers verbally harassed and threw stones at passing Palestinians. Christian Peacemaker Team members (CPTers) and international human rights workers intervened to help Palestinians, some elderly and some with young children, to pass through the area.
The Israeli forces only intervened on a few occasions over the five-day period. On Wednesday 9 January, they stepped in when a crowd of settlers ran into the yard of a nearby Palestinian home, apparently chasing a young Palestinian boy who had taken a settler’s bag. An elderly Palestinian man ensured that the bag was quickly returned and the Israeli police removed the settlers. However, the police and military merely looked on when the settlers returned to the yard a few moments later and verbally harassed the family, CPTers, and other internationals. For several hours, until the settlers eventually left, the frightened family locked themselves in their home.
On Saturday 12 January, young Israeli settlers attacked two CPTers as they stood between a Palestinian man and a group of three Israeli boys. The boys were taunting the man with rude remarks in Arabic about the Prophet Mohammad. A group of eight to ten girls pushed, pulled, and kicked Jan Benvie until she fell to the ground. The boys sprayed something in John Funk’s face that caused eye irritation. Two Israeli soldiers stood a short distance away and watched the attacks. A third soldier came forward to intervene only when the settler girls knocked Benvie to the ground.
When the settlers attacked the Abu Siefen family on the evenings of Saturday and Sunday, the Israeli military were slow to get involved, but eventually moved the settlers away from the home. No action was taken against the settlers, but on Saturday evening, the Israeli police arrested four members of the Abu Siefen family and questioned them for four hours at the police station.
At 8:00 p.m. on the evening of Sunday 13 January, the Israeli military moved the settlers and removed the structures they had built on the land.
For CPT photos go to: http://tinyurl.com/yu85pu
For photos from Activestills go to: http://tinyurl.com/2ryxch39/with/2181018949/
15 February
HEBRON: Israeli military and police remain passive in the face of settler harassment of Palestinians and internationals
On Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 January 2008, a crowd of Israeli settlers invaded the yard area of a home near the Israeli settlement of Kiryat Arba, on the outskirts of Hebron. The settlers threw stones at members of the Abu Siefen family, injuring several people.
The Israeli settlers who carried out the attacks had been occupying nearby Palestinian land in Wadi al Nasara, since Wednesday 9 January. On Wednesday, the owner of the land went to the Israeli police with legal documents (from the Israeli High Court) proving his ownership of the land. He requested that the police remove the settlers, but they refused to do so.
For five days, the Israeli police and military present in the area prevented Palestinians from using the road adjacent to the occupied land, forcing them to take a detour through muddy ground. Throughout this time, the Israeli forces stood by and watched when young settlers verbally harassed and threw stones at passing Palestinians. Christian Peacemaker Team members (CPTers) and international human rights workers intervened to help Palestinians, some elderly and some with young children, to pass through the area.
The Israeli forces only intervened on a few occasions over the five-day period. On Wednesday 9 January, they stepped in when a crowd of settlers ran into the yard of a nearby Palestinian home, apparently chasing a young Palestinian boy who had taken a settler’s bag. An elderly Palestinian man ensured that the bag was quickly returned and the Israeli police removed the settlers. However, the police and military merely looked on when the settlers returned to the yard a few moments later and verbally harassed the family, CPTers, and other internationals. For several hours, until the settlers eventually left, the frightened family locked themselves in their home.
On Saturday 12 January, young Israeli settlers attacked two CPTers as they stood between a Palestinian man and a group of three Israeli boys. The boys were taunting the man with rude remarks in Arabic about the Prophet Mohammad. A group of eight to ten girls pushed, pulled, and kicked Jan Benvie until she fell to the ground. The boys sprayed something in John Funk’s face that caused eye irritation. Two Israeli soldiers stood a short distance away and watched the attacks. A third soldier came forward to intervene only when the settler girls knocked Benvie to the ground.
When the settlers attacked the Abu Siefen family on the evenings of Saturday and Sunday, the Israeli military were slow to get involved, but eventually moved the settlers away from the home. No action was taken against the settlers, but on Saturday evening, the Israeli police arrested four members of the Abu Siefen family and questioned them for four hours at the police station.
At 8:00 p.m. on the evening of Sunday 13 January, the Israeli military moved the settlers and removed the structures they had built on the land.
For CPT photos go to: http://tinyurl.com/yu85pu
For photos from Activestills go to: http://tinyurl.com/2ryxch39/with/2181018949/
