Settler Violence and Occupation Watch: Report LXXVIII
15th March - 15th May 2005
Hebron Region - 0n 15th March, approximately 40 settlers from
outposts in down town Hebron entered the home of Naji Sharabtee in the
old city. They damaged the house. Naji reports that ?the settlers came
to the house, which has 21 rooms and is home to 17 people from the
family. They told us to leave the house, claiming it belongs to the
outpost Avraham Avino. In 2002 these settlers made similar attacks,
forcing the family to leave. We went to the Israeli Supreme Court, and
only last month the court ruled in our favour, awarding us the right to
return home. As soon as we returned the settlers resumed their attacks
despite the court decision. - 0n 17th March, Husni Abu Is'ifan, 40, was taken to
Alya Hospital in Hebron after he suffered injuries to his head when
settler from Kiryat Arba threw stones at him as he stood near his house
in Wadi Hussein, near the settlement. - On 18th March, settlers from the outpost of Ramot
Yashai, in Hebron, renewed their attacks against residents? houses near
the outpost. Mohammed Abu Aisha reported ?at noon around 7 settlers
threw stones at my house and other houses in Tel Rumeyda, we couldn't
leave the houses, this is the second time these settlers have attacked
our houses within 24 hours. All these aggressive acts took place in
full view of soldiers who were stationed, throughout this, at the
nearby checkpoint?. - On 18th March, settlers from Susiya settlement, south
east of Yatta, attacked shepherds with stones, forcing them to leave
their land. Naser Nawaj'a reported ?tens of settlers, some of them
armed came to Qawawis, east of the settlement, and started throwing
stones at the shepherds who were herding their goats. Some settlers
pointed guns, forcing us to leave our land. All of these actions, which
are daily occurrences, are intended to force us to leave our land,
located near the settlements. It is very clear that they want to annex
and confiscate it for the settlements. Throughout the last months we
were unable to access thousands of dunams in the area as settlers,
often in cooperation with soldiers, attacked us?. - On19th March, settlers from settlements located to
the east of Yatta, uprooted 30 olive trees and damaged a fence
belonging to Ablah Khaleel Rajabi. Rajabi said that this is the second
time settlers have attacked her land in the last two weeks. - On 19th March, Fatimah Salameh Huraini, aged 70,
suffered injuries to her face when tens of settlers from Susiya and
Ma'on settlements attacked farmers, from the village of Litwani, on
their land. The settlers came and ordered the farmers to leave the
land, when they refused the settlers attacked them with fists and
stones. The settlers also damaged tens of olive trees on the land.
Soldiers later arrived, informing the farmers to leave the land for
their own safety. On the same day settlers from Susiya attacked some
International Solidarity Movement (ISM) members who had come to support
the farmers with their work on the land. An Israeli activist from
Ta'ayush (Arab-Jewish Partnership) was beaten and his camera damaged by
settlers during a protest against settler aggression. - On 28th March, around 50 settlers, some of them
armed, engaged in large celebrations in the streets of the old city of
Hebron, during which they attacked Palestinian residents, at work and
in the streets, with stones and fists. Abe el Raoof Muhtaseb and Abed
Wadood Ja'bari sustained injuries to their heads and backs when
settlers threw stones at them whilst they were working with the Hebron
Rehabilitation Committee. On the same day the settlers threw stones at
houses belonging to Tayseer Salhab, located near the outpost Abraham
Avino, in the old city, damaging a number of windows. - On 30th March, five settlers from Beit Hadasa
outpost, in the old city, threw stones at the students in ?Qurtoba
Elementary School For Girls? near to the outpost. Fortunately no one
was injured, the soldiers at the nearby checkpoint did nothing to stop
the attack. The same day, settlers from Ramot Yashai threw stones at
Yousef Hisham Azza, only 9 years old. His face was injured and two of
his teeth were damaged. He was taken to the hospital for treatment. - Near Kiryat Arba settlement, to the east of Hebron,
seven armed settlers forced Bed Assame' Muhtaseb to leave his land,
which is located to the east of the settlement. Muhtaseb reported ?I
have 20 dunams planted with olive trees and vines, the settlers want to
confiscate it, this is not the first time that these settlers have
attacked me and my family when we come to work the land. I went to the
police station in the settlement many times but there has been no
positive response!? - On 3rd April, tens of settlers from Ma'on settlement,
south east of Yatta, attacked farmers working their land, near the
settlement, forcing them to leave the land. Soldiers also came and
forced the farmers to leave, arresting Mahmmoud Hasan Shawaheen, taking
him to the police station in Kiryat Arba. They served him with a fine
of 1000 NIS claiming he entered a closed military zone near Ma'on. The
residents said these attacks are a daily occurrence. - On 5th and 6th April, settlers from Ma'on settlement
renewed poisoning near by Palestinian fields with pellets, preventing
the shepherds to use the land for their goats and sheep. According to
the local council in the nearby village of Litwani this the second time
the settlers have undertaken such actions. The first time was March
21st causing the death of 20 goats belonging to many families from the
village. This actions became a big issues during the last month due to
media interest and attention from numerous International NGOs and
Solidarity Movements. - 0n 7th April, the Military Officer of Hebron issued
an order confiscating 70 dunams of land near Negohot settlement, west
of the city. This land belongs to Yousef and Ali Mahmoud Naser. Land
Defence Committees sources believe this land will be used to expand the
settlement and build access roads. - On 7th April, for two continuous days settlers from
Givat Kharsina, east of Hebron, attacked Palestinians homes west of the
settlement with rocks. Khaleefa Da'na reported ?in the last few days
settlers have been throwing stones at our house every evening. We
couldn't leave our houses due to these attacks.? - On 18th April, settlers from Kiryat Arba attacked
numerous houses in Wadi El-Nasara, south of the settlement. The attacks
started when the settlers tried to establish a new outpost on the land
belonging to the Jaber family. Soldiers came and stopped the erection
of tents and Caravans by the settlers. The settlers, angered by the
soldiers? actions, then attacked the residents houses on numerous
occasions throughout the week. - On 19th April, three armed settlers from Susiya,
south-east of Yatta prevented Wadha Nawaj'a, a local farmer, from
working her land, 800 meters west of the settlement. Wadha has suffered
these attacks numerous times over the past few months. - On 5th May, Tayseer Hamed Abu Aisha from Tel Rumeyda,
down town Hebron, was injured in his hand when a group of settlers from
Ramot Yashai outpost attacked him with stones as he was walking to his
house, near the outpost, the settlers also threw stones at the house
damaging some of windows. - On 5th May, settlers from Susiya placed three
Caravans on Palestinian land near the settlements indicating they
intend to confiscate this land. Bethlehem Region - On 19th March, Army bulldozers damaged and uprooted
tens of olive trees in Wad Ahmed, north west of Beit Jala. Chairman of
the Local Council, Jamal Jawareesh, reported that ?this action is
intended to expand Gilo settlement and build the separation wall. More
than 100 dunams will be levelled and isolated inside the wall,
resulting in farmers loosing their land and trees. - On 30th March, the Army Officer of the Bethlehem
Region gave seven Palestinians from south of Alkhader town, orders to
demolish their houses. Kheld Azza, Land Defence manager in the Local
Government Ministry described this as an evacuation policy in order to
expand nearby Efrat and build a new settler road. - On 1st April, the Army demolished seven houses in
Wadi Rahhal village, south east of Bethlehem. The army officer claims
the houses were built illegally, but the owners believe it is in order
to confiscate more land on the eastern edge of Efrat, where
construction and road building are taking place. - On 18th April, a settler from Tko?a, south east of
Bethlehem, whilst speeding, ran over Nida Ali Sulaiman, aged 12, from
Tuqu' village, while she was walking on the main road, near the
village. The settler sped off, leaving the girl lying in the road. She
was later taken to hospital in Bethlehem and from there to Hadasa
Hospital in Jerusalem, in a critical situation. - On 18th April, settlers from Neve Daniel, south west
of Alkhader, uprooted 100 olive trees and 100 grape vines. Mosa Salah,
owner of the trees reported that ?our land is very near the settlement
and settlers have often damaged and uprooted trees, but this time they
uprooted a large number of trees, indeed the majority of those
belonging to me and my family, indicating to me that they intend to
confiscate the land, preventing us from using it. I have taken my case
to the Military station and am following it up with the Courts?. - On 21st April, five settlers from Beitar Illit, west
of Bethlehem, attacked Mohammed Yaqoup Hamamereh, aged 30, from Husan
village, while he herded his goats on his land nearby. They detained
him for three hours, beating him with stones, before releasing him. He
suffered injuries to his head. - On 28th April, settlers from Efrat, south of
Bethlehem, blocked the road leading to Wadi Beyar agricultural zone, to
the west of the settlement, with large stones. When the farmers
attempted to enter their land the settlers attacked them with stones,
forcing them to leave. The attack was lead by Hananya, a settler well
known for his numerous attacks on the farmers. Nablus and North West Bank - On 15th March, settlers from Matan outpost, near Kafr
Thulth, east of Qalquilya, uprooted around 20 olive trees belonging to
Hamed Deeb Odeh, east of the village. Local Council sources believe
they want to expand the outpost, hence the uprooting of many trees over
the last few months. - On 29th March, six armed settlers entered Silat adh
Dhahr village, between Nablus and Jenin. They went directly to the
medical centre in the village and attacked cars parked near the centre.
Tens of residents faced them and forced them to leave the village. The
settlers then opened fire. This is the second time settlers have
attacked the centre in the last month. - On the night of 9th April, five armed settlers from
Shavei Shomron, west of Nablus entered Deir Sharaf village. They
started throwing stones at three houses. The residents gathered and
forced them to leave to the settlement. Mohammed Abed el Hameed reports
that ?my house and those of my neighbours were attacked and windows
smashed. We ran after the settlers who escaped to the settlement?. - On 13th April, settlers from Qedumim, east of
Qalquilya, damaged and levelled around 30 dunams of olive trees
belonging to Abed Salam Shahwan from Kfar Qaddum. Local Council sources
believe ?the settlers want to expand the settlement thus they have been
confiscating hundred of dunams land surrounding it over the last year.
These actions all took place within clear view of soldiers who did
nothing to stop the settlers?. Gaza Strip - On 29th March, around ten armed settlers from Kfar
Yam, near Khan Yunis, threw stones at student from Jarrar Qodwa School.
Eyewitness said that the settlers came from the settlement at noon,
when the students leave school, and threw stones at the students before
closing the main road and throwing stones at the Palestinian cars,
damaging five.
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