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To the north of Hebron, Israeli settlers throwing rocks at Palestinian farmers and international journalists.

* On 4 September, in the afternoon, Waseem Akram Jaber, age 19, was hit in the head by rocks thrown at his house by a group of Israeli settlers from the Kiryat Arba settlement; Jaber’s home is located west of the settlement. At the same time, the settlers stoned 10 other homes belonging to the Jaber, Ja’bari and Da’na families.

*  On 9 September, five Israeli settlers from Kiryat Arba ran after and stoned students from the Mutanabbi Elementary School in the Wadi Nassara Palestinian neighborhood, located to the south of the settlement. The attack occurred when the students were leaving school to walk home. The settlers also illegally entered the gardens of houses belonging to Monder Ahamd Jaber and Faisal Jaber; they stayed for about 40 minutes and appeared to be praying. The families went to Israeli soldiers who were nearby; the soldiers then asked the settlers to leave.

*  On 12 September, an Israeli settler driving through downtown Hebron hit a six-year-old  Palestinian child, Hamdan Mohammed Ja’bari, with his car; the incident appeared to be an accident. Ja’bari was taken first to Alya Hospital in Hebron and then to Hadasa Hospital in Jerusalem due to the extent of his injuries.

* On 4October, Hebron resident Abed Allah Rasheed al-Fakhori, age 24, was hit in the head with stones thrown by a group of Israeli settlers from Kiryat Arba who were attacking Palestinian homes and shops in al-Ras, to the west of Kiryat Arba. Shop owner, Bassam Ja’bari, reported that approximately 20 settlers from Kiryat Arba were joined by other settlers who have been illegally occupying the al-Rajabi building for two years. The two groups of settlers stoned Palestinian homes, shops, and people who were walking in the main street near the building. The houses that were stoned belong to Naser Fahd Ja’bari, Mohamed Rabee’ Ja’bari, Ramadan Qaimari, Mohammed Sadoq Jaber, Abed al-Kareem Ibraheem Ja’bari, Sulaiman Fahd Ja’bari, Fathi Sulaiman al- Razem, and others. This attack was the second in the last two days. Residents reported that the Israeli soldiers in the area were aware of the attacks but did nothing to stop them. 

* On October 6th, Su'ad Ahmed Da'na, age 50, was taken to the hospital in the city after being attacked by an Israeli settler from Kiryat Arba and then pushed to the ground repeatedly by an Israeli policeman.

*  On 18 October, about 20 Israeli settlers from the Ramot Yishai outpost on Tel Rumeida  Hill in downtown Hebron, attacked farmers, internationals, and Israeli peace activists who were harvesting olives. The settlers hit one of the internationals, Jerni Bevi, from the United Kingdom in the face, injuring her. Palestinian cameraman Abed al-Hafeez Hashlamon , age 45, was hospitalized for injuries sustained to his face and head when the settlers stoned him. They also forcibly took possession of his cameras, which they later returned. Hashalmon was working for the European Agency for News. His brother, Nai Hashalmon, a photographer for Reuters, was also stoned by the settlers. He was not injured, but was prevented from taking pictures. According to eyewitnesses, the attacks took place for about three hours in the presence of Israeli soldiers, who did nothing to stop any of the settler violence.

* On 19 October, Israeli settlers from Ramot Yihsai entered a nearby orchard belonging to Mohammed Rateb Abu Haikal, age 43, and stole olives from his trees. When his sons, Mu’taz, age 14, and Hussain, age19, tried to stop the settlers from stealing the olives, the settlers physically assaulted them. Later soldiers came and detained the sons and their father for four hours.  

* On 21 October, a group of Israeli settlers from the nearby settlement, located to the southeast of the Palestinian town of Yatta in the southern part of the Hebron District, attacked the farmers who came to harvest their olives near the settlement. The settlers pointed guns in the face of the farmers.  When the farmers refused to leave, they tried physically fight off the settlers. Israeli soldiers came and forced the farmers to leave, declaring the area to be a closed military zone.

* On 24 October, three Israeli settlers from Kiryat Arba, to the east of Hebron, beat Hebron resident Nur Ayed Da’na, age 17.  The settlers came to his family’s garage located near the settlement and asked him to fix their car. When he refused, they started beating him, resulting in injuries to his hands, face and legs. His uncle, Arif Da’na, reported that such attacks occur whenever they refuse to do what that the settlers ask. He added that the settlers confiscated their land and were daily attacking them and their homes.

Bethlehem Region

* On 16 October, approximately 50 settlers from settlements to the east of Bethlehem and the Jerusalem region illegally entered Oush Ghrab, located to the east of Beit Sahour. The settlers entered the site with a number of mobile homes, under the guard of Israeli soldiers who set up checkpoints to prevent local Palestinian residents and internationals from coming to protest the illegal occupation of the site. The soldiers arrested two Palestinians and four internationals. Oush Ghrab was originally a Jordanian military site which was occupied by the Israeli military after 1967; two years ago the Israeli military left the site and the city of Beit Sahour is now in negotiations to acquire it. There is a city park across from the former base. Israeli settlers have made various visits to the site, defacing it with graffiti; their presumed intention is to build a settlement outpost.

Nablus and the Northern Region of the West Bank

*  On 5 September, in the morning, a group of Israeli settlers and soldiers entered Joseph’s Tomb to the east of the City of Nablus. The soldiers announced that the area was a closed military zone while the Israeli settlers were there, ostensibly to pray. The soldiers prevented Palestinian residents from walking or moving for three hours until the settlers left. This holy site is supposed to be under the control of the Palestinian Authority, yet the Israeli authorities wrest control whenever settlers decide to come.

* On 9 September, Israeli settlers from the Yizhar settlement, to the south of Nablus, attacked Palestinian houses in Asera al-Qibliyya. Husni al-Shareef, the Local Council Chairman in the village, reported: “Dozens of settlers, most of them armed, attacked the east side of the village and stoned houses in addition to shooting. When the army came after we called them, the settlers left the village. Around seven houses were affected by stones that thrown at the windows and broke the glass.”

*  On 12 September, dozens of mostly armed Israeli settlers from Yizhar attacked the Asera al-Qibliyya and Madam villages.  On the east side of Asera, the settlers stoned many homes and residents. The Palestinian Red Crescent Association reported that eight residents were wounded from the stones.  Those who received medical treatment were Wafa Mohammed Subih, age 17, for a hand injury; Radi Husain Asayra, age 22, for face injuries; and Yaseen Maher Husain, age 26, for foot injuries. Others with multiple injuries were Ibraheem Mohammed  Hamed; Radi Jameel Taher, age 20; Abed Elfattah Ahmed, age 60; Ahmed Lutfee Ahmed, age 25; and Nor Eldden Yaseen Hasan, age 26. Local sources reported that the settlers also threw stones at many houses, breaking windows. Damaged homes included those belonging to Abed Al-Baset Mohammed Ahmed, Ibraheem Mukhlef, Jamal Yousef, Mohammed Doud, Ahmed Doud and Ahmed Abed Allah. Qasem Saleh’s house and car were both damaged. The settlers also blocked off all entrances the nearby village of Oref with large stones.  

* On 16 September, Israeli settlers from the Maskiyot settlement, in the north valley, forced the shepherds from the Wadi al-Maleh village to leave their village lands. The settlers told the shepherds that they would kill their goats if they came back. A month ago, the Maskiyot settlers moved the fence to steal more Palestinian land. According to village residents, the main aim of the settlers’ actions and attacks is to take more land and prevent the farmers from using it.   

*  On 17 September, Israeli settlers from Yizhar, south of Nablus, set fire to olive trees belonging to many families from the villages of Madma, Boreen, Surra and Asera al-Qiblyya. An eyewitness, Kamal Yaseen, reported: “I saw five settlers stop their car on the road near Asera al-Qiblyya. Then they went out of the car and entered the land and started burning the trees in the field.” Residents called the fire brigades. The village mayor, Ali Aeda, reported that about 200 dunam were burned.

* On 26 September, four Palestinians were injured after Israeli settlers from the Alei Zahav settlement entered the village of Kufr al-Deek, attacking cars and firing in the air, according to the human rights organization, al-Haq. As settlers continued to illegally roam the village armed with guns, Israeli forces imposed a curfew on the Palestinian residents rather than taking the settlers out by force. Villagers reported hearing gunshots. The Israeli military attacked the village with tear-gas and stun grenades, terrorizing Palestinians residents who rushed to defend their homes against the band of settlers. Abed al-Azeez Iyad, age 14, had his hand broken after being shot with a rubber bullet. Abed Raheem Husain, age 27, was run over by a military jeep and remains in the hospital.

* On 27 September, Israeli settlers from the Itamar settlement, in the Nablus District, killed Agraba Village resident, Yahya Atta Rayaheen Bani Minnah, 18, while he was feeding his goats in the afternoon near the settlement. He was shot 20 times; the family found his body. It was reported that the settlers who did the attack were driving a white vehicle.

* On 1 October, dozens of settlers from the Ginot Shomron settlement east of Qalqeelya entered the south side of the Azzon village. They threw stones at the houses, breaking windows. On the same day, Israeli settlers burned around 12 dunam of olive trees in the Palestinian village of Kufor Qaddom to the east of Qalqeelya.    

* On 10 October, Israeli settlers from the Yizhar settlement, south of Nablus, attacked the al-Najjar family while they were harvesting their olive trees in Abu Hallouf, which is close to the settlement. Mustafa Hgaleb al-Najjar, age 2, and his brother Mohammed, age 27, sustained injuries to their faces and hands. The settlers also destroyed 15 olive trees.    

* On 10 October, six Palestinians from the Kufer Qallel village south of Nablus were wounded when they were attacked by dozens of Israeli settlers from the nearby settlement of Abracha settlement. The villagers were trying to harvest their olives south of their village. The settlers used stones and sticks in their attacks. Some of the wounded were taken to Rafiday Hospital for treatment. Those injured included Fathi Rashid Mansour, age 70; Hisham Faiz Mansour, age 8; Madiha Awad Mansour, age 12; Iman Mansour, age 20; Ibtisam Rashid Mansour, age 30; and Manal Rashid Mansour, age 30.

* On 15 October, Israeli settlers from the Elon Moreh settlement, east of Nablus, broke the windows of a car belonging to Hamed Allah Afanah and punctured all four tires with knives. Hamed Allah reported “I stopped my car near the main road 100 meters away from the military checkpoint, in clear view of the Israeli soldiers. I went into my field to harvest the olive trees. I saw a car stop near my car and three young settlers get out of it. They vandalized my car while the soldiers could see them.  The soldiers did not stop them even though they were supposed to. I had to ask permission from the Israelis to harvest my olives and in the permission, it says the soldiers will protect me, but they did not.”

* On 18 October, Israeli settlers from several illegal settlements, in the Salfeet District, attacked the farmers during the olive harvest on the land located to the west of the Segregation Wall. The settlers allowed their goats and other animals to damage the trees. The farmers issued a call for human rights groups, internationals, and local organizations to help them during the harvest time. When the Segregation Wall was built by Israel, the Israelis put most of these farmers’ land on the Israeli side of the Wall, separating the farmers from their land. Israel then demanded that the farmers get permission from the Israeli Civil Administration in order to work on their own land. The Israeli Civil Administration denied many of the farmers’ applications for land access. Those to whom permission was given were required to be on the land by 8:00 a.m. and were not allowed to leave before 4:00 p.m.    

* On 19 October, Israeli settlers from the Elon Moreh settlement, in the Nablus District, attacked the farmers from the Azmout village who were trying to harvest their olives.  Some of the settlers were armed; their attacks forced the farmers to leave. They stoned some of the families and engaged in hate speech against Arabs.  In the past two days, the settlers launched two other attacks against these farmers.

* On 24 October, dozens of Israeli settlers gathered at the former site of the Homesh settlement, near the Selit al-Hartheyya village south of Jenin. Homesh was dismantled by the Israeli Government three years ago. Most of the settlers who came were armed; they threw stones at cars on the main road of the village. They also shouted hate speech, including: “death to Arabs.” The village mayor, Salih Hantooli, reported that dozens of the settlers came in the night through the mountains with mobile homes and tents. In the early morning, they started to throw stones at the cars. Hantooli added that the settlers have attacked them a number of times before and have damaged many of the village’s trees and water pipes. The villagers have raised complaints to the Israelis to stop the settlers from coming to area, but the Israeli authorities have failed to take any real steps to stop the settlers.   

* On 24 October, Israeli settlers from several settlements in Nablus District attacked residents and trees in area villages. Groups of settlers burned an estimated 15 olive trees in the Barqa village north of Nablus. Ghassan Doglos, the Director of Local Councils and Municipalities, in the district said “the settlers also stoned the cars on the main road near the village. Other settlers from Itzhar settlement came to the land belonging to families from Asera al-Qibliyya and forced the farmers to leave. The settlers told the residents that they were going to confiscate this land.” Another ten settlers entered the Bidan village near Nablus and left without attacking. According the residents, the settlers entered just to make a statement that “we are here,” an implication of threat to the villagers’ land and safety.