12 February 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank
On Sunday 12 February, about 200 settlers, mainly youth, gathered at the bottom of Assima settlement in Al Buwayra to cultivate and steal Palestinian land with accompaniment by the Israeli military.
They were carrying Israeli flags and posters. The military opened a gate leading these illegal and typically violent settlers onto Palestinian land and marched them to Hilltop 25. They remained there for a while and then moved to the other side of Road 60 leading to the illegal settlement of Kiryat Arba and planted trees.
The Israeli Occupation Forces and police were faciltating the planting, and they let the settlers play music loudly from a car equipped with amplifiers to disturb the peace while making their presence a loud infringement on Palestinian land.
As ISM and Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel members walked up to visit Palestinian families, they were stopped by Israeli police, who checked IDs. When they were asked why they were checking their passports, the answer police answered that, “This is not Israel, it’s Hevron. It’s very dangerous.”
The Palestinians families told internationals that the illegal settlers had thrown stones at the house and broken a window. The settlers left shortly after the internationals got there, but were heard saying they would come back the following day.
The land where they planted trees is meant to be used to build houses for the children of the Palestinian families.
Pascaline is a volunteer with International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).
Mozbah Zatari, shortly after the attack, being carried to the ambulanceTonight at 6pm a mob of 20 settlers from the Kiryat Arba settlement near Al Buwayra, Hebron, attacked the Palestinian family of Mozbah Zatari while they were in their car. According to the family and witnesses, they had just parked their car when the settlers swarmed around the car and broke windows with stones. Mozbah Zatari, his mother, and his two sons (ages 4 and 6) were in the car and all were hurt by stones thrown into the car. Mozbah Zatari was injured on his leg by a stone and taken to the hospital.
This is not the first time the Zatari family has been attacked and hurt: they’ve been attacked many times as they’re house is the closest in al Buwayre to the illegal settler outpost. According to the family, three nights ago settlers attacked their house by throwing stones at it and breaking windows. The recent increase in settler violence in al Buwayra may be related to the recent demolition by Israeli forces of their illegal outpost near the Kiyrat Arba settlement, though since then the outpost has been rebuilt. Two ISM activists are staying overnight in the village in case there are any more attacks.
Mozbah Zatari, shortly after the attack, being carried to the ambulance
the Zatari family’s damaged car, with windows broken during the attack
Zatari’s six-year-old son, in tears and shock after the attack
Last night (1 Sept. 2010) around 150 to 175 Israeli settlers, many armed, constructed an illegal outpost at a new location in the Baqa’a valley, east of Hebron, and attempted to harass a Palestinian family.
A large group of settlers constructing an illegal near Road 60
The Israeli army did not attempt to disperse the settler gathering but later did partially raze the area on which the makeshift outpost buildings had been built – near the illegal Israeli settlements of Kiryat Arba and Givat Harsina, on the opposite side of Route 60, the road where four settlers were killed the previous night.
ISM activists were staying in the house of Palestinian farmer Atta Jabr and his family, who have been subjected to numerous attacks due to the proximity of the illegal Harsina settlement and the nearby “Hill 18” outpost.The last incident was just two weeks when Atta and his pre-teen daughter were attacked by six settlers.
From the house the family and the activists could observe the settlers’ activities a very short distance away.
At 17:00 six settlers arrived with a truck carrying a large water tank. Three soldiers approached them and spoke to them but took no action and left. Around half an hour later, a truck came carrying timber and other building supplies. It was unloaded by twelve settlers.
By 17:45, around 100 settlers had congregated at the site, including many armed with pistols and M16s. A digger arrived carrying around 40 bags of cement in its scoop.
By 18:30, around 175 settlers had arrived, many taking part in construction.
The home of the Jabr family which was besieged for three hours
Some settlers approached the Palestinian house, located about 40m up the hill, no doubt with the intention to harass the Jabr family again. Around 20 settler youths walked around the house. A settler family car stopped outside the front porch of the Palestinian house for a short period of time while the driver looked inside – however they took no further action. The family was effectively under siege for about three hours.
Shortly afterwards the Israeli army arrived, led by the same Captain who two weeks earlier had harassed peaceful internationals instead of removing a large group of settlers from the Palestinian Baqa’a.
A squad of six soldiers walked up to the Palestinian house. The Sergeant shouted in Hebrew demands for the windows to be shut and the lights to be switched off. The internationals didn’t understand so the Sgt lifted up his rifle and cocked it. The soldiers then climbed onto the roof.
By 19:00 it appeared that some settlers had started walking away back to Harsina.
At 20:00, some Israeli activists including Rabbis for Human Rights, AATW and ICAHD tried to access the area but been denied by the army. They reported that the outpost seemed to have been demolished, apparently by the civil administration. The soldiers came down from the roof.
Meanwhile across the valley at Al Buwayra tension was high and a settler attack was fully expected due to the village’s extremely close proximity to the outpost and it’s history settler violence. Three members of CPT and one ISM activist stayed at a house in the village that often bears the brunt of these attacks. At 11.30 news came in that settlers were stoning a nearby house. On arriving near to the house it was apparent that 4-5 settlers were throwing stones from behind the security fence at a Palestinian house. Not far from the scene the chanting and yelling of party of settlers probably numbering 30 -40 people could be heard. Not long after the internationals arrived the settlers left and the Palestinians and internationals returned to the house.
When activists went to investigate the location of the Baqa’a valley outpost construction attempt this morning they found a 3×3 metres square of cement, covered in boot prints. Palestinian Atta Jabr told them that the settlers had already come up with a Hebrew name for the outpost they wish to illegally build on Palestinian land – ‘Navi Hevron’.
This incident occurred following an announcement by the settlers that they would unilaterally violate the freeze on settlement construction – deemed illegal under international law – which is not due to expire until September 26th.
The settlers carry out so-called “price tag” attacks on Palestinians whenever the Israeli authorities prevent settlement expansion. The resumption of construction comes after the shooting of four Israeli settlers in Hebron two days ago, an attack which the militant wing of Hamas claimed responsibility for.
Atta Jabr and his family have lived in the area for more than three generations. Their house has been demolished twice. Members of the family appeared in the acclaimed 2006 documentary Occupation 101 – (clip below) – speaking about their experiences of life under Israeli occupation.
About 4 pm on 18 August 2010, a group of international activists witnessed an large number of Israeli settlers walking in groups up to “Hill 18” in Al Buwayra, a neighborhood on the outskirts of Hebron. Settlers there had made an outpost in the very heart of the village, and over the years they have repeatedly harassed and attacked the Palestinians living here. Said outpost was recently been demolished by the Israeli army, sparking settlers riots and vindictive attacks on people, property and farmland. The day after the demolition settlers began to rebuild the outpost, and this process is ongoing.
Yesterday afternoon about 100 settlers walked – or drove in minibuses – through the village, and along the road leading up to the outpost, connecting it to the illegal Harzina settlement; a road which it is forbidden for Palestinians to walk or drive on. The settlers were carrying posters with Hebrew writing on, and speaking on a megaphone. Some would stop by and tell the internationals to leave, curse them and threaten them with ‘God’s punishment’ for being present.
After gathering at the outpost, the settlers walked through the fields to Road 60, some climbing the hills almost up to three Palestinian houses on the top of the Al Baqa’a Valley. The settlers were seen to throw rocks at sheep owned by local Palestinian farmers. Down near Road 60, about 50 people gathered, made a fire, and held their posters aloft. Music was played, and some speeches were given through the megaphone.
The police and army had just arrived when the internationals got to the spot. The full attention of the police was focused on the international, and one policeman took the five activists’ passports, claiming he had to check them. While waiting on the opposite side of the road from the settlers, one policeman claimed ISM activists were not allowed to be in the area. Asked if it was a closed military zone, the police said “yes”, subsequently bringing two papers which they wouldn’t let the internationals look at properly to verify. The internationals were then asked to leave, which they naturally would not do without their passports (still held by the police).
After making a clear point that we were not the ones violating any law, and asking the police to remove the settlers from Palestinian land, activists were informed by police that “This is the land of Israel, and there is nothing named Palestinian land.” The police then stopped a few Palestinian cars, forced the drivers to get out, and searched the passengers and the vehicle. Six soldiers were observed walking up to the top of the valley, after the settlers had gone down to the road. Asked why they went there, the police responded: “To prevent anybody from getting hurt.”
The Internationals then left the area for about 20 minutes, then coming back to ask for the “closed military zone” paper, which, it seems, did not exist.
After about 2 hours settlers started to leave the area in minibuses. ISM activists then went into Buwayra and stayed overnight with a family who live close to the outpost, fearing another riot like the one seen on 6 August, when 100 setters attacked the Sultan family’s house with rocks. Nothing happened, and it seems that most of the settlers left Buwayra after their demonstration. The protest was, according to Hebrew speakers about marking the 4th anniversary of what the settlers claim was the murder of a settler on another, now demolished, outpost in Buwayra. The settlers’ demonstration comes after weeks of violence and harassment following the demolition of an Israeli outpost.
Al Buwayra is a small village located on the outskirts of Hebron, with about 560 inhabitants. Most people are farmers, growing grapes and vegetables to support themselves. The situation in the village is critical, and villagers are repeatedly being attacked by settlers from the illegal Kyriat Arba and Harzina settlements which surround the village as well as several illegal outposts.
The road into the village is blocked by a gate and an earth mound set up by the Israeli army, forcing the villagers to either climb or drive a long way in order to enter their homes. Since the Israeli army began demolishing two of the five illegal outposts around Buwayra, settlers have carried out several attacks both on the villagers, their farmland and their animals. Daily life is a struggle with good reason to be constantly afraid. ISM, in close cooperation with CPT, has been going to Buwayra almost every day over the last 3 weeks, when the army removed the first illegal outpost and the settlers started to attack the Palestinians in response.
Thursday 5 August
Death threats towards two internationals, attack on Susan Sultan.
Early Thursday morning, around 6.30, soldiers from the Israeli army came to remove an illegal outpost near a settlement. ISM and CPT sent people there straight away to make sure the soldiers and settlers didn’t harass Palestinians. The settlers were really angry and the villagers feared that the settlers would retaliate against the Palestinians. The settlers set fire to a small piece of Palestinian farmland but luckily the Palestinians themselves were able to put out the fire. There were internationals present almost the whole day. Two internationals, one from Denmark and the other from England, received two death threats from settlers because of their presence in the area. The outpost was removed and the soldiers tried to block the way to outpost but after the soldiers left the settlers started on clearing the road and rebuilding the outpost.
On the evening of August 5th Suzan Jamil Sultan, 51, a university English teacher was in her car, with her three children aged 2, 3 and 8 in the backseat, driving towards her home, at around 21.30 at night. Near her home, which has an outpost located near to it, she saw a car parked across the narrow road, blocking it. She also saw a car with a blue light, and assumed it was a police car, and therefore thought it was safe to drive on. Suddenly at least ten settlers appeared, and they started throwing stones to her car. She was scared, and her children were crying. She tried to reverse the car, but was not able to move on the narrow road.
Suzan then got out of the car, as she wanted to protect the children from getting hurt. The settlers attacked her with stones, hitting her in the head, in her side and her hand. She remembers that she fell, and couldn’t hear or see for some minutes, and when she was able to see again the settlers were gone. She then saw that the blue light belonged to the settler’s security car, parked near where she was attacked. She then asked the driver: “Did you see what they did?” in English. The man answered that he doesn’t speak English. Suzan’s daughter then arrived and helped her and her children home. She had to go to hospital and needed three stitches on her hand. She was still suffering from pain in the head and side, and had a bandage on her hand when ISM activists spoke talked to her the following Monday and her whole family, she said, were scared to move around the open fields where they might encounter settlers.
Friday 6 August
Two internationals attacked. Three Palestinians arrested at night, while trying to defend a family from settler attack.
ISM sent two people to replace the people from CPT that had spent the night in Al Buwayra. The situation up until 12.00 was quiet
Canadian activist Peter Cunliffe after he was left with a broken nose following an attack by masked Israeli settlers in Al Buwayra
At 12.00 the two internationals were sitting in the shade under a tree when three masked settlers appeared out of nowhere and attacked. There carried wooden and metal sticks. The internationals were severely beaten. After the attack, which lasted only 2 minutes, the settlers ran towards the outpost. Family members from the Sultani house helped the internationals to stop the bleeding and protected them from further attacks. They were taken to Al Khalil hospital and one needed surgery on a broken nose and is still recovering from his injuries.
That night 100 settlers threw stones at the Sultans house because the Sultans helped the two internationals that were attacked. When soldiers arrive most of the settlers leave the crime scene but one settler stays back to tell the soldiers that it’s the Palestinians that have been attacking the settlers and not the other way around. Three Palestinians were arrested at night while they were trying to defend and protect the Sultan house from the settler attack. It is known that two of them have been released.
Saturday 7 August
Closed Military Zone. Settlers set fire to grape vines.
Early on Saturday morning six people from ISM went to Al Buwayra. At first things seemed calm but after a while, when sitting close to the outpost, activists were approached by soldiers who said the area was a closed military zone and that the internationals had to leave. They moved a little away.
At night the settlers set fire to a field of Palestinian grapevines and a fire truck was called. However, the Palestinians ended up putting out the fire themselves.
Sunday 8 August
In the morning internationals tried to go into Al Buwayra but were refused access by the soldiers saying once again that the village was a closed military zone and that the internationals could not go and visit families and take pictures of the damage caused by the settler attacks.
Later three internationals, one from CPT and two from ISM, go by car and enter the village. The border police spotted the internationals quickly but after a talk with the commander the internationals and the Palestinian driving the car were allowed to go and visit one family for half an hour. The family spoke about what it is like to live in constant danger and fear of the settlers. From the family house settlers could be seen walking in the hills close to the outpost.
Monday 9 August
On Monday internationals made it in to Al Buwayra. By taking the back way the internationals avoided being seen by the border police and were able to go and speak to different families. The internationals saw settlers walking around the outpost but overall things seemed to be calm. But the villagers live in constant fear. They have trouble sleeping because they never know when to expect a settler attack. They are really worried about the future and when things are quiet for a few days they know that this is only a brief respite before a new settler attack.
esterday afternoon about 100 settlers walked – or drove in minibuses – through the village, and along the road leading up to the outpost, connecting it to the illegal Harzina settlement; a road which it is forbidden for Palestinians to walk or drive on. The settlers were carrying posters with Hebrew writing on, and speaking on a megaphone. Some would stop by and tell the internationals to leave, curse them and threaten them with ‘God’s punishment’ for being present.
After making a clear point that we were not the ones violating any law, and asking the police to remove the settlers from Palestinian land, activists were informed by police that “This is the land of Israel, and there is nothing named Palestinian land.” The police then stopped a few Palestinian cars, forced the drivers to get out, and searched the passengers and the vehicle. Six soldiers were observed walking up to the top of the valley, after the settlers had gone down to the road. Asked why they went there, the police responded: “To prevent anybody from getting hurt.”