Settler Violence and Occupation Watch: Report LXXX
15th June - 15th July 2005
Hebron Region - In the middle of the night on 17th June, six settlers
from Kiryat Arba forced entry into three shops in the centre of Hebron,
damaging the doors and contents and graffiting anti-Arab slogans on the
shop walls. These shops all belong to the Jaber family. An eyewitness,
Kaed Da?na descried how ?armed settlers came.., forced the doors of the
shops and left after two hours of vandalism?. - In mid June approximately ten settlers attacked the
gardens of the Al-Haram Al-Ibrahimi Mosque (cave of the patriarchs).
Having supplied themselves with electricity they proceeded to uproot
trees and flowers and damage the water well. They continued to
vandalise and conduct celebratorary parties inside the gardens, all
within full view of soldiers who did nothing to stop them or their
actions. These gardens were occupied three months previously and
on that occasion the settlers forced municipality workers to leave.
This case is currently being tried in the Israeli court, yet the
settlers still returned to occupy the gardens once again. - 0n 20th June, Raja? Abu Aisha, 16, from Tel Rumeyda
sustained injuries to her back after three settlers, from the outpost
of Ramot Yashai, threw stones at her as she stood near her home, itself
situated near the outpost. These same settlers later threw stones at
shops and residents in a street to the west of the outpost. - In the afternoon of 24th June, tens of settlers from
numerous settlements and outposts in the city engaged in marches and
demonstrations in the city centre. During the demonstration they forced
the residents to leave the streets and threw stones at shops and
houses. They chanted and graffitied a number of offensive slogans, such
as ?death to Arabs?. This all happened under the protection of
soldiers. These marches were repeated on 8th July. - On 25th June, Fares Hijazee Batesh, 37, sustained
injuries to his head after a group of settlers from Avraham Avino threw
a large rock at him as he walked to Sahala Market, west of the Al-Haram
Al-Ibrahimi Mosque, in the centre. Soldiers took him to the Israeli
Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheva due to the serious nature of his
injuries. The soldiers did nothing to stop them returning home. The same day settlers from the same outpost burned a
shop near the outpost. This was put out by the municipality fire
brigade. - Settlers from the Outpost of Ramot Yashai have
attacked the home of Abu Aisha on a number of occasions in the past
month. The first instance was on 28th June when they not only attacked
his house but also forced away his visiting relatives. On this occasion
the iron gate to his house was damaged and two windows were broken. On
7th July the settlers forced away workers, who had come to fix the
gate, with more showers of stones. The next day they renewed their
general attacks on his and his neighbours houses. On all occasions
these attacks were done in the full view of soldiers stationed on the
nearby checkpoint, who did nothing to stop the settlers! Bethlehem region - On 1st July, Maryam Ali Salah, 73, from Al Khader was
seriously injured in the head when she was run over by a settler car
whilst walking down the main road, near Neve Daniel settlement, south
of the town. The settler attempted to drive off but tens of farmers
detained him until the police arrived. Nablus and North of West Bank - In the middle of the night of 17th June, settlers
from Eli cut down and damaged tens of trees belonging to a number of
families from Karyout village. - On 20th June, a settler from Rotem, east of Tobas,
opened fired on a cow belonging to the Daraghma family, from Wadi Maleh
village. The cow was killed whilst being shepherded near the village.
The settlers claim that piece of land belongs to the settlement. Aref
Daraghmeh, chairman of the local council said ?the settlers attack any
one who attempts to access this land, claiming it is part of their
settlement which we consider as an illegal confiscation?. Two weeks
later, on 5th July, three settlers from Rotem prevented shepherds
accessing this same land, forcing them to leave and warning them not
return. - On 24th June, settlers from Qedumim settlement, east
of Qalquilya, threw stones at cars driving down the main road between
Qalquilya and Nablus, two cars? windows were smashed. They repeated
these actions on 2nd July on the road which links the villages of Kfar
Qaddum and Haja, again breaking two cars? windows. - In the morning of 28th June, settlers from Tarsala
closed the road between Nablus and Jenin as tens of them gathered in
the middle road carrying anti-Arab banners. Soldiers arrived in the
name of ?preventing clashes between Settlers and Palestinian residents?
however they only preventing the Palestinians cars from passing and did
nothing to stop the settlers! - On 1st July, eight Palestinians were injured when
settlers from Itamar threw stones at a passing car. Adnan Wishahe, the
driver, reported ?I drive a shared taxi between Ramallah and Jenin. On
this occasion when I reached the junction near Itamar settlement at
3pm, I saw five settlers who threw stones at my car until it flipped
over. At that point an army vehicle appeared and the soldiers helped us
out of the car.? Wishahe told the soldiers about what had happened but
the settlers were able to return to the settlement. - In the afternoon of 2nd July, approximately 15
settlers from Qana attacked the home of Hani Amer, in the village of
Misha, west of Salfit, with stones. These attacks have occurred on
numerous previous occasions due to the fact that Amer?s house is
separated from the village by the Separation Wall. Amer states ?My case
with settlers has been reported to the both the Israeli Army and the
Palestinian Authority, I have made many complaints but nothing positive
has happened.? The house is home to eight people who have become
virtually imprisoned as a result of both the wall and settlers attacks.
- On 8th July, tens of dunams were levelled and damaged
in the village of Amateen, Qalquilya district, by Army bulldozers.
Haitham Siwwan, chairman of the Local Council reported how in the
morning the council was informed by local farmers that bulldozers had
started uprooting and levelling tens of dunams of Olive orchards. ?We
later found out that this was in order to build a new small settlement.
More than 2000 dunams will be confiscated for this settlement which
means that tens of families from Amateen and other, nearby villages
will loose their income.? Soldiers prevented residents from reaching
the land in order protest but unperturbed they have vowed to pursue
their case through both courts and demonstrations. - On 11th July, the army informed Mohammed Radwan, a
farmer from Nabi Elyas, Qalquilya district that 3 dunams of his land
would be confiscated for a new settlement road. Palestinians sources
state that this is a small part of a much larger project to confiscate
large amounts of land in the area. Gaza Strip - On 19th June, Naser Wafee and Mohammed Majaida were
injured when settlers opened fire at them near Khan Yunis. Wafee said
?We were sitting near the beach when approximately thirty settlers,
mostly armed, from Gush Katif appeared and immediately started beating
us with their fists and guns. When we attempted to escape they opened
fire at us, I was injured in the leg, my friend in the head. After half
an hour an Ambulance arrived and we were taken to hospital?. - On 26th June, tens of settlers from Gush Katif
occupied Hafez Astal?s house, in Al Mawasi, west of Khan Yunis. They
forced the family to leave, cut the telephone line and smashed windows.
At the same time other settlers also invaded the home of Mansour
Beyouk, in the same area, setting fire to part of it when soldiers
attempted to remove them. These actions are part of the settlers?
protests against the Israeli disengagement from Gaza. A few days
previously, settlers damaged and destroyed many mobile houses belonging
to numerous families in the Al Mawasi. They renewed their attacks on
the residents of Al Mawasi on 30th June, damaging the water network,
uprooting tens of trees and throwing stones at the Residents. In
addition they occupied the health clinic, preventing access. Fayez
Sha?th, chairman of Al Gods Association for Development said that ?for
a week Palestinians couldn?t reach the clinic because of tens of armed
settlers occupying it?. They also threw stones at ambulances, smashing
windows. At the same time, to the north of Khan Yunis, the army
prevented settlers from closing a road. - In the early hours of 2nd July, hundreds of settlers
from Neve Dekalim attempted to enter Allaham and Malalha, west of Khan
Yunis, in a big demonstration. They threw stones at houses until
soldiers forced them back.
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