Alternative Information Center - Settler Violence Report 23

Following the killing of the two teenage settlers west of Bethlehem, dozens of settlers blocked roads within the West Bank, especially the main road leading between Hebron and Jerusalem near the Kfar Etzion settlement. The settlers stopped and attacked Palestinian cars by throwing stones and broke the windows of several cars. Some Palestinians were injured and 15 cars were damaged. The Jerusalem- Hebron road remained closed for the entire day.

At the same place settlers opened fire at a Palestinian bus belonging to the Beit Fajjar Bus Company.

To the east of Bethlehem settlers from Tiqwa' attacked houses, cars and buses in Bethlehem.

The main road between Ramallah and Nablus was also blocked for the entire day.

On the second day after the killing, settlers continued to attack and block roads as the day before. Many shops and houses in downtown Hebron, specifically in the Sahlah, Shuhada and Hesba areas, were attacked by settlers. A shop owner found evidence showing an attempt by the settlers to burn down the shop. Such attempts have been previously reported numerous times in Hebron before.

A group of settlers let their dogs attack Kifah Khaled Sorub, 18, while he was on his way home from school in the Al- Mawasee area in Khan Yunis. Kifah So'rub was left on the ground seriously injured. He crawled to his home, reaching it the next day. He told his family about the incident. They took him to the hospital where he died from his injuries. Resources: Kifah Khaled So'rubs family and the PA.

According to Suleiman Abu Mufareh, the mayor of Taqu', settlers from Amous southeast of Bethlehem came at 8 in the morning and burned fields of wheat in Taqu' village. Soldiers were watching without interfering. The village has been under curfew since the killing of the two teenage settlers.

8 Palestinians were taken to the Aliya' Hospital in Hebron after they were beaten by settlers in the H2 area. Two of the victims are small children. Fatimah Otman Da'na and Sharaf Shuqri Fakhuri both 5 years old were both injured in their heads. The others are Rami Muhammad Sabri, 18, Haron Ragheb Jaber, 26, Muhammad Jamal Ja'bari, 72, Mousa Sadeq Abu Rumaila, 17 and Bilal Ibrahim Sultan, 13. According to witnesses, the group of armed settlers attacked houses and people in the streets with weapons and metal sticks. This incident did not take place as a response to any event.

A group of settlers attacked Palestinian houses in Sinjel village north of Ramallah. The settlers opened fire at the houses and lit two of them on fire. The village has been under curfew since a shooting incident at a settler car.

Houses inside the village of Taqu', east of Bethlehem, were attacked by settlers while the village was under curfew. The house of Eiman Muhammad Nufal was attacked with stones directed at the living quarter areas. In addition to this the settlers aimed their weapons at the house. The daughter of Eiman, Iman Eiman Nufal, 16 was injured in her head from a stone. Due to the closure she was treated in the local clinic, and not at a hospital.

Dozens of armed settlers from Bitar Alit, west of Bethlehem, attacked in the evening a big number of houses in the village of Hussan. The incident lead to clashes between the settlers and the residents of Hussan. When the soldiers arrived they did not remove the settlers from the area but threw teargas at the people from Hussan preventing them from defending their houses. Similar incidents have ocured many times previously in Hussan.

Following the killing of a settler in her car east of Ramallah, the settlers of the area came to the streets blocking the roads and attacking cars with stones. 3 people were injured and the windows of 10 cars were broken.