CPTnet
July 30, 2002
HEBRON: Settler women attack CPTers, shopowners in Old Market

By Jerry Levin

Several young Israeli settler women and youths invaded Hebron's Old Market
area twice Tuesday, July 30, assaulting Palestinian shopkeepers and members
of the Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT), who were trying to intervene and
document the incidents.

The first disturbance began at about 9:15 in the morning below the CPT
apartment. Four settler boys started throwing stones and rocks over the
barricade separating the Palestinian market from Shuhada Street. CPTers
phoned the police and alerted soldier stationed on a roof across the street
to the attack.

As CPTers Jerry Levin, LeAnne Clausen, and Janet Shoemaker reached the
street to investigate, two young settler women came through the barricade
and began throwing stones at an elderly Palestinian man nearby. Clausen
left the doorway to protect the man from the settlers.

A settler woman demanded Levin's camera and tried to grab it. Levin, who was
blocking entry to the building, passed the camera to Shoemaker who was
standing inside behind him.

When the settler women noticed Clausen photographing them trying to get past
Levin, one moved towards her, trying to grab the camera. Clausen, trying to
shield the camera with her body, was knocked down by one of the
women who then bent her fingers back and struck her repeatedly with her
fists. Meanwhile, a second woman hit her with stones, and a third began
kicking her in the back of the head. Levin, trying to block the settlers'
blows, got down and covered Clausen with his body to protect her and the
camera.

Three IDF soldiers came through the barricade. The settler boys stopped
throwing stones, but a woman standing no more than three feet away from
Clausen threw a chunk of asphalt in her face.

The women then began moving further into the market. A few minutes later a
patrol of about ten Israeli soldiers entered the market through the
barricade, and gently escorted the women out of the area.

At 12:45 pm, the young settler women again charged through the barricade and
attacked the poultry store next to the CPT apartment, taunting and hitting
the owner, his sons, and breaking several dozen eggs. Still screaming, they
stormed further into the market area.

Calls for help from CPT brought an Israeli Police van. Once again, the
policemen stood watching from the safety of Shuhada Street. After several
minutes, a contingent of about ten soldiers arrived, headed into the market
and a few minutes later escorted the settler women out. The soldiers made no
attempt to restrain or arrest any of them.

Palestinian shopkeepers expressed their anger to CPTers about the
indifference of the police and the soldiers' solicitous treatment of the
settler women. One angry elderly Palestinian man, yelled at the soldiers.
"Our God is watching this. And he will not let this happen." An IDF soldier
hearing him stopped, turned, and said very slowly, "He is our God. And he
has saved us."