International Solidarity Movement Nonviolence. Justice. Freedom.
by Mijal Grinberg, December 24th
The Israel Defense Forces’ Investigations Military Police have opened a probe into claims that IDF troops committed a series of offensives against Palestinian residents of the Hebron area, including throwing stones, destruction of private property, damaging vehicles and unlawful detention.
The investigation was opened after a human rights group filed complaints on the Palestinians’ behalf.
The alleged incidents took place in the villages of Al-Carmel, Ma’ayan and Wa-Twana during the months of November and December.
A resident of Wa-Twana said that on December 12th soldiers broke the windows of his car and his neighbor’s house.
“They drove up quickly in a jeep, stopped near the house and started throwing stones,” he said.
In the nearby viillage of al-Carmel, local resident Ahmed Bahais said an IDF patrol drove up to his house after midnight and damaged his property.
“They started throwing stun grenades at house, despite the calm in the village,” Bahais said. “They approached my store, an electronics store, and shot at the light in the middle of the store and the televisions that were laying around. The soldiers then moved on to other houses, throwing stun grenades and breaking windows.”
Musa Hmamda, a resident of Ma’ayan, said IDF soldiers showed up at his house and locked his family inside without allowing them access to toilets or food for some 11 hours.
“When we were let out we saw the soldiers had trashed the house, breaking windows and sabotaging property,” Hmamda said.
In reponse, an IDF spokesperson said: “The military prosecution has ordered the military police to investigate the allegations. When the investigation is over the findings will be passed on to the military prosecution.”
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Some of the damage described here was documented by Operation Dove.
