Thursday 7 January

Israeli soldiers attacked and injured Palestinian shepherds from the Musa Raba’i family as they grazed their sheep in Humra valley, near At-Tuwani.  One elderly woman, Umm Juma’ Raba’i, and a young woman, Umm Ribhi Raba’i, who was two months pregnant, had to be taken to hospital, suffering from the effects of tear gas inhalation.  Three of the shepherds, Kamaal Raba’i, Majde Raba’i and Juma’ Raba’i were hospitalized for their injuries, and a young boy, Ramze Jamaal Raba’i, had his tooth broken.  The soldiers also attacked the CPTers accompanying the shepherds and broke a video camera.  (See 8 January CPTnet release, Israeli soldiers attack and injure Palestinian shepherds; arrest Musab Raba’i and video .)

Before leaving the area, the soldiers arrested one of the shepherds, Musab Musa Raba’i and took him to a military base near Suseya settlement.  There, soldiers struck him in the back, in the face, and slammed him into walls.  After four hours of interrogation and torture, they took Raba’i to Israeli police station in Kiryat Arba settlement.  The policemen told Raba’i that if they ever saw his face again they would kill him.  After thirty minutes, the police tied his hands and feet, blindfolded him, drove him to a location unknown to him, and threw him out of the jeep.  (See 12 January CPTnet release, Shepherd tortured for five hours by Israeli soldiers and police.)