Alternative Information Center - Settler Violence Report 52

On 14 November, a settler ran over and killed Palestinian Hamden El-A?ramin, 76. The incident happened while a settler was speeding up on road #60, near the Al-Nabi Yunes junction that connects several Palestinian villages (Sa?er, Al-shiokh, Bani-Nai?m) with the main road. This road was recently re-opened, enabling Palestinians to walk towards Hebron. Even though the junction is known as a crowded junction and that hundreds of Palestinians cross it on foot, and even though hundreds were trying to pass the junction, the settlers in the car did not slow down, went on speeding and ran over the Palestinian elder. They then escaped the place of the accident neglecting to offer first aid to their victim. Few eye witnesses to the accident attempted to chase the settler car until the Kfar Azion checkpoint. Upon reaching there they informed the army of the whole incident. The soldiers stationed in the checkpoint promised to investigate the incident and the AIC awaits their results. Based upon a host of previous cases of this nature, it seems unlikely that any serious measure will be taken against the settler offenders.

On 13 November, settlers from O?tneil attacked Palestinian farmers and a group of Israeli and international volunteers. They settlers prevented the group form reaching the olive orchards of the Al-Somuo? village. The Palestinian farmers from the village, accompanied by about 25 volunteers, were stopped by armed settlers who shot at them in order to force them to retreat.

Abd El-Hadi Hantash of the Land Defense Committee reports that the olive harvest was coordinated with the Israeli army. Despite this notification, the group was attacked by about 20 armed settlers while heading to the fields. The settlers threatened the group and forced all of its members to leave. In the next day, the farmers coordinated with the army once again their attempt to reach their lands. When they arrived there, the farmers were attacked with stones by about 40 settlers, including the settlement?s chief of security. Many among the farmers and volunteers were injured and could not harvest the olives.

On 9 November settlers from Ramat Yishai in the Tel Rumeida attacked against Palestinians in the old city of Hebron. During the night, settlers threw stones at Palestinian houses, causing the injury of Taiseer Abu-E?isha who was inside his own house. Muhamad Abu-E?isha, a resident of the neighborhood, reports that this type of attacks have been taking place for months despite the fact that army points are located in the neighborhood. The settlers have also picked the fruit of about 20 olive trees belonging to Palestinians from the neighborhood.

On 11 November settlers from Kiryat Arba threw stones on Palestinian houses in dir El-Nasara neighborhood, especially on the house of Monther Da?na and his father. The settlers also chased some of the Palestinian residents in the main street, claiming that it was a settler?s only street. The soldiers that were in the area did not interfere in order to prevent the assault.

On 3 November settlers from Halamish (Navi-Tzuf), north east of Ram Allah, planted olive almond and fig trees on lands belonging to Palestinians from the village Al-Nabi Saleh. At the same day, settlers prevented Palestinian shepherds from entering that land, claiming that it was the property of the settlement. The land belongs to Al-Tamimi family. Abd El-Karim Al-Tamimi, a member of the local council, reports that the size of the land is about 30 dunams which are located between the settlement and the bypass road leading to the settlements western to Ram Allah. This act could therefore mean the annexation of the land to the settlement, especially since the settlers have tried to take control over this land.

Nablus Region and the north of West Bank

Due to repetitive attacks by settlers, many farmers from Inbus, south to Nablus, were unable to reach their fields to pick the olive trees, especially those fields that are located near the Yizhar settlement. The settlers also chopped down about 600 olive trees, 225 of them in a 26 dunam orchard belonging to Fawzi Hussin. The other trees belong to Hashem Mofdi A?lan, Nafez Mofdi A?lan, Hussin Abu Diak and others.

Fawzi reports that due to past experience of settlers violence during the last three years, he decided to go and pick his olives while accompanied with Israeli and international peace activists. But lately even this measure did not help, as all were jointly attacked by armed settlers. When an even larger group of activists came to join the family in the harvest, it was blocked by the army that announced the area a closed military zone (on 2-4 November). In that area, settlers erected ?Mitzpe Yitzhar? outpost that few months ago (following the Aqaba summit) was dismantled. Recently the outpost was re-erected as the settlers re-stationed caravans in the place.

On 1 November about ten settlers from Eli, east of Nablus, attacked farmers from the Al-Sawyeh village while the farmers were picking their olive fruits in lands located near the settlement. The settlers forced the farmers to leave and threatened them that they will be harmed if they return to their land. Abd Allah Abu-Ras, mayor of the village, reports that the DCO informed that the harvest was coordinated with the Israeli army. Nevertheless, when the farmers arrived to their fields they were attacked by armed settlers. When the farmers tried to reach their fields in the following day they saw that about 10-15 settlers were cutting the trees, and that between 200 to 250 olive trees were cut down. In this time of the year olives are a central source of income for these families.

On 3 November settlers attacked a resident of the village Hawarah, near Nablus. Adv. Mansor Al-Domidi, a resident of the village, reports that 5 armed settlers came to the center of the village and began to shoot in the air, smash cars and throw stones on the villagers. As a result of these assaults, Jamal Al-Domidi was injured in the head and moved to Refidia hospital. The army was called in and began a search while imposing a curfew on the village.

Land confiscation and the Separation Wall

On 9 November settlers from the settlement Sensanah, established on the lands of the village Arab Al-Ramadeen, brought few caravans and a water container and settled on the lands of the village in an area of about 10 dunams (a site that was bulldozed on 2 November).

Two months ago, settlers bulldozed about a 100 dunams of village land around the settlement. Adv. Musa Makhmreh, chair of the Land Defense Committee, reports that this means the establishment of a new settlement about 300 meters away from the old settlement. This measure will directly affect the lives of residents of Arab Al-Ramadeen and Al-Daheriah because these lands were their passage and were also used for pasture, plating wheat and olive trees. Most crucially, this is a clear attempt to change the border as the place is located very near the Green Line.

On 12 November the army presented the residents of Al-mgheer village, south of Jenin, with confiscation orders of vast lands north and northeast of the village. The reason mentioned was "military purposes." This means that parts of the Apartheid Wall will most likely be built in this path. The orders instructed the people not to reach their land which was unilaterally declared a closed military zone.

Ghaleb Abu-Mois Said, mayor of the village and a member of one of the families harmed by the orders (as 250 dunams of his family land were confiscated), reports that in all, 2,500 dunams were confiscated. Part of the confiscated land is only 200 meters away from the village?s homes. This cultivated land includes olive trees, wheat while some of it is used for pasture. The projected route of the Wall makes it evident that it will pass near the settlers bypass road that is built on the villages lands. Faisal Sa?ad, a farmer from the village, reports that he received confiscation orders for 13 dunams of his land which is planted with olives. This is the main source of income and livelihood of his family.