Alternative Information Center - Settler Violence Report 57

On January 4, a settler ran over three Palestinians on the main road next to Qalandya checkpoint, causing the death of Maher Taher Jabber, 27, from Jerusalem, and injuring his two cousins Ahmad and Mohammed Mousa Jabber. Isam Jabber, a family member, reports that: ?the settler was seriously speeding when he tried to turn east, about 30 meters south of the checkpoint. He lost control and came off the road and into the three Pedestrians. The settler did not stop to help.? Israeli police were at the scene and started an investigation. Past incidents of this nature cannot but lead one to believe that it is unlikely that appropriate punishment will be imposed on the settler.

On January 7, settlers from Qiryat Arba? and settlements in Hebron continued their attacks against the Palestinian houses in Wadi El-Nasara. Monther Da?na?s house was stoned during the night, smashing three windows. During the previous night, settlers from the same settlements vandalized 5 grape vines that belong to Da?ana family. At the same time, groups of settlers positioned themselves on lands that belong to Mohammed Boti Jabber, and it appears that they plan to assume control over them. The settlers have tried to take over this land many times in the past. All of these assaults happened in plain view of soldiers stationed there throughout.

On January 11 a 5 year old child, hamza Monder Da?na, was injured in the shoulder and left leg after the settlers stoned his house during the day.

On January 5, settlers from Kharsina, in the north of Hebron, started building two houses on land they grabbed during the last weeks. Work to level the land is going on lands west and south of the settlement. According to Land Defense Committees in the district, the two building are part of a new settlement project, approved by the Israeli government, to expand Kharsina, including the building of forty four new housing units.

On January 10, settlers from Admot Ishai (Tal Romeyda), in the old city of Hebron, attacked the house of Mohammed Hamed abu-Aisha. Five settlers stoned his house. The family was forced to remain inside the house for two hours. The soldiers in the area did nothing to stop the settlers.

On January 11, approximately 15 settlers, some of whom armed, uprooted more than 70 trees in Boyaira area, north of Hebron. Sufyan Sultan, the owner of the trees reports that: "the settlers came from Kharsina settlement and cut the grape vines in my land. Five Dunams were vandalized. This seems to be a part of a new project of expanding the settlement Kharsina, not only to the west but also to the north, and it seems that the settlers are planning to take over all the land between the settlement and bypass road #60 to the north and east of the settlement."

Nablus and North West Bank

On January 15, settlers from Homesh, north of Nablus, stoned many houses in Boga village. Fatin Salah, a member of the Youth Committee in the village reports that ?around 7 settlers from Homesh were on top of the hill in the village throwing big stones at the village?s houses.? Hisham Amir, 57, testifies: "every now and then settlers throw stones on the houses in my village, as well as on my own, where 9 people live. Ten of my olive trees beside house were damaged as well. Nizar Saif, Mayor of the village, reports that "on September 10, settlers from Homesh started building a new fence around the new bypass road that they built last September. 150 dunams were taken from the village for the roads and fence.?

On January 6, the Israeli army issued an order to confiscate thirty Dunams near the settlement Beit Hagai, south of Hebron. According to the order, which was submitted to the Dodeen family, the owners of the land, the reason for this confiscation is settlers? security and the defence of the settlement. Three months ago settlers from the same settlement leveled and damaged tens of Dunams south of the settlement.

On January 8, the Israeli army prevented the owners of the land on both sides of bypass road #60 in the village Zaif, south of Hebron, from entering their lands or farming them. The land that the farmers could not farm, according to the soldiers, is 60 dunams. Abd El-Hadi Hantash, of the Land Defense Committees explains: "the aim of this policy is to open new wide road link between the settlements in the area south of Yatta (south of Hebron) and the city of Hebron. This is drawn from Israeli plans that were approved two months ago."

The work in the land near Kharsina is ongoing. On January 12, about 300 olive trees and grape vines belonging to Khalifa Da?na were uprooted. Da?na reports: "the bulldozers damaged 15 Dunams that belong to my family".

Tens of Dunams that belong to other families were also damaged in the same area during this work, as detailed in former AIC reports.