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Soldiers Allow Settlers to Stone Palestinians, Threaten to Assault Homeowner

Wednesday February 6th, 2008: At around 7.30 this evening settlers began stoning the home of the Sidr family, adjacent to Beit Hadassah settlement in Hebron’s Old City. Stones, some as large as bricks, were thrown first from the vicinity of an army post on a roof opposite the house, hitting the window of the bedroom where the homeowner was sleeping. Two male settlers aged around 25 were seen on the roof. More stones were thrown from the yard of the school inside the settlement, by 8 young men aged around 16-17. The brother of the homeowner was hit in the arm and leg by stones.

The army were present at their post on the roof throughout the attack and watched it take place. When the homeowner called out to them to intervene, six soldiers came to his home and the officer raised his fist and threatened to punch him. The homeowner called the police who attended around half an hour later.

Human Rights Workers on their way to the scene encountered the soldiers who must have just threatened the homeowner. When asked about the stone throwing, a soldier replied “we have solved the problem”.

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Saturday, 2nd February 2008. This afternoon at around 3.30pm a group of around 20 settlers, including children, teenagers and adults, some of them armed with M16s, approached the Al Hadaad family home in Tel Rumeida. There is still snow on the ground, and when young settlers bent down to pick up things to throw, it seemed for a moment that there was to be another of the snowball fights which have broken out all over Tel Rumeida this week. However, it quickly became apparent that this attack was anything but friendly. As well as a few snowballs, the settlers pelted the house with stones for around 15 minutes.

Although there is a military base only a few metres from the area, it was not until a neighbour contacted the police and the army, that soldiers and police officers arrived and gradually escorted the settlers away.

The Al Hadaad family live on land rented and used by Palestinians but which settlers regularly occupy, particularly during Jewish holidays. It was formerly dangerous for Palestinians or internationals to walk in this land, although of late there have been fewer incidents of such violence.