Hebron, September 8th
An incident occurred on the road between Tel Rumeida settlement and the checkpoint at the top of Tel Rumeida Road. At around 2pm one settler youth approximately 17 years old was walking around insulting Palestinian children. The settler then encouraged other young children to join in the abuse of the Palestinians. He then attempted to grab a camera from an ISM human rights worker (HRW) who had come to film the incident.
After a few minutes of hurling abuse at children and HRW’s the settler walked back up the hill towards Tel Rumeida settlement. Then he gathered 5 settler children aged about 10 years old round him. He encouraged them to kick the door of the last Palestinian house before the settlement. ISM activists rushed towards the house shouting for the soldiers to stop them and filming all the while. The soldiers only action was to stop one of the activists from filming. The presense of another activist with a camera deterred the children from causing further damage. The settler and the children leave towards the settlement.
Three minutes later the settler comes out of Tel Rumeida settlement carrying a partly drunk bottle of vodka. Bringing along the same group of children he came back down towards the checkpoint abusing Palestinians and HRW’s again. Two off duty soldiers carrying large wooden sticks manhandled the settler back up towards the settlement.
One soldier made all the Palestinian kids go back into their homes. Only after complaints from ISM HRW’s did he do the same to the settler kids who were causing the trouble.
An activist called the police who turned up after 5 minutes and spoke to eyewitnesses.
TIPH also made an appearance and spoke to onlookers.