Tag: Hebron

Video of settler shooting two Palestinians


Video published by B’Tselem

ISM Hebron: The settlers that had been evicted at approximately 14.00 from the occupied Rajabi house, were allowed to roam the Wadi Hassain (Al Ras neighborhood) area freely. After the chaotic evacuation of around 200 settlers, many groups of settlers embarked on their publicized “price tag” campaign by attacking Palestinian homes in the neighborhood. Near the Rajabi house (‘House of Contention’), four Palestinians were shot, no less than 4 fires were started, and all of the homes were stoned.


Photos by Activestills

Hassni Abu Sayfan was shot in the stomach and rather then allow him to seek immediate medical treatment the Army medics held and examined him. Ultimately the army had to airlift him to a nearby hospital by helicopter because his condition had become critical. Another two from the Sayfan family were shot, after an altercation with settlers that had come down to their homes. Two settlers began threatening several Palestinians with a hand gun, shot one Palestinian in the hand and another in the shoulder as he was trying to take away the gun. Another Palestinian was shot two inches from his heart and was taken to a nearby hospital.

The Matari home was attacked by settlers and a fire was started in nearby bushes, burning a corner of the house. The water tanks and satellites on the roof as well as 18 windows were destroyed by stones thrown from Kiryat Arba. The family had to move all of their belongings away from the side of the house that faces the settlement. At the Sayfan homes nearby, 2 water tanks and 2 satellites had been pulled off the roof by settlers. The home was also damaged from stones throw from Kiryat Arba. At the Jabar home, slightly downhill from the “House of Contention,” a burning stack of hay was thrown at the home, but put out by the family before any major damage was caused. A member of the Jabari family also reported that a settler had thrown a military weapon that soldiers later retrieved.

As well as attacking Palestinian homes near the “House of Contention” (close to Kiryat Arba settlement) settlers were attacking in the Old City, Tel Rumeida (Shohada street), Kharsina settlement and the Quarantina area.

Between 20 to 30 settler youth burned 4 cars along the Quarantina street at 15.00, and proceeded towards a mosque, Jabar Al Arahne, to break many windows. Then the Army arrived and walked alongside the settlers, throwing tear gas and sound bombs towards Palestinian homes. They turned back at 15.45 then returned to smash several cars with stones. They came by the Al Rayam mosque and burned 2 cars nearby and 2 cars by a military tower.

At the Da’ana house near the Kharsina settlement, settlers had lit 3 trees in the olive groves around 16.30 after crossing an area illegal to Israelis. About 20 settlers came back at 22.30 and threw stones at the home.

The “price tag” campaign is a commitment to choreographed extremely violent responses if any act offends settlements or settlers.The evacuation of illegal settler occupiers in the “House of Contention” is a justification to enact the open and publicized campaign. The Supreme Court decision on November 16th to evict the settlers had been met with promises of violence against Palestinians and is currently being fulfilled throughout the West Bank. Despite settlers using aggressive tactics to injure Palestinians and destroy property, Palestinians are being restricted to their homes by the Army while settlers are moving freely about Hebron.

Settlers riot through Hebron following eviction from Rajabi house: 17 Palestinians injured, one in critical condition

Hebron, 4th November – A Palestinian man is in critical condition after being shot in the stomach as settlers continue to riot through Hebron.

At least seventeen Palestinians have been taken to hospital injured as settlers set fire to several Palestinian homes. Four were injured as settlers opened fire into Palestinian houses.

Hosni Abu Saither has been taken to Aila Government Hospital after he was shot in the stomach during an attack by Israeli settlers who rioted following the eviction. He is currently in a critical condition.

Settlers have also broken into and are occupying a Palestinian property in Hebron’s Old City.

Mobs of settlers stormed through Hebron following the eviction of the Rajabi house today, causing many injuries and widespread damage. Several Palestinian homes were torched, as well as around 20 cars.

International solidarity activists are maintaining a presence in Hebron, staying with Palestinian families that live in the immediate vicinity of the occupied house and who have been the focus for the settler attacks. The internationals report that Israeli soldiers have made Hebron a Closed Military Zone, but are unwilling to confront the violent settlers.

Settlers reported to the media that they have called on supporters to engage in a week long campaign following their eviction. “We will choose the time and place to retaliate,” they were quoted as saying in Ynet.

The mass settler violence has also sparked a series of coordinated attacks across the West Bank as settlers engage in what has been described as a ‘price-tag‘ campaign.

Settlers riot across West Bank as part of ‘price-tag’ campaign following eviction of settlers from Rajabi house, Hebron

UPDATE: Settlers are attacking Palestinian residents and property around the West Bank in a coordinated outbreak of aggression following the eviction of settlers from the occupied Rajabi house in Hebron. Attacks against Palestinians have been reported from Turmas’ayya, Burin, Huwarra, Beit Iba, Azzoun, al-Funduq, Assira-al-Qabliya and Susiya, as well as the mass settler riots in Hebron.

10:30pm 4th December: Settlers have thrown molotov cocktails at a house in Assira-al-Qabliya, Nablus region, setting the house alight. Widespread damage has been reported by Palestinian firefighters who have now put out the blaze.

In Susiya, the tent of Hajet Sarra Nausaja has been burnt down by settlers who have stormed through the area.

One Palestinian man has been taken to hospital in Qalqilya after his car was attacked by settlers close to al-Funduq. His condition is as yet unknown. Residents of al-Funduq also reported that Israeli soldiers ordered all shops to close and people to remain inside their homes in case the settlers arrived.

6:30pm 4th December – These coordinated attacks appear to be the manifestation of settler warnings of a ‘price-tag’ campaign that were reported in September of this year.

Just outside the village of Turmas’ayya, Israeli soldiers stopped a bus and at least 40 other Palestinian cars from traveling down Road 60 that links Nablus and Ramallah. As the cars were being stopped settlers attacked the cars, throwing rocks and other projectiles. Large-scale damage was reported from the scene.

Those trapped inside the cars report that Israeli soldiers are refusing to intervene and prevent the settler attacks or to allow the Palestinian traffic to pass so as to escape from the settler attacks. Witnesses to this have said that they are very scared and that there has been considerable damage caused towards the bus and cars.

In the village of Burin, Nablus region, over 100 settlers have attacked the village, throwing stones at Palestinian houses and damaging property. Settlers have also set fire to Palestinian agricultural land in Burin. Groups of settlers have been throwing rocks at houses with Israeli soldiers seemingly unwilling to prevent them. In one house residents are trapped inside while settlers have repeatedly thrown rocks against their property. International Human Rights Workers in the village have reported that Israeli soldiers in the vilage have been using tear-gas and sound grenades against Palestinians not in their homes, but are refraining from using such force against settlers attacking the village.

Rather than confront the violent settlers, Israeli soldiers have preferred to use force on Palestinian residents in the regions. A resident of Burin was violently detained by Israeli soldiers after settlers had attacked his car and broken his windshield. A similar incident was reported to the International Women’s Peace Service as one resident, while driving home, was confronted by Israeli soldiers who refused to intervene as settlers attacked his car.

International Human Rights Workers have also reported that both Beit Iba and Huwarra checkpoints have been blocked by settlers and that rocks are being thrown at Palestinians attempting to pass through the Israeli checkpoints.

In response to these settler attacks, rather than confront the settlers, have blocked Palestinian traffic from running on Road 60 that links Nablus and Ramallah, the road between Kufr Laqif and Jinsafut and the road between Jit and al-Funduq. With the religious of Eid approaching, it appears that Israeli forces are seeking to prevent Palestinians traveling instead of acting to prevent the settler attacks.

Maan: House set ablaze as settlers continue Hebron riots

To view original article, published by Maan News Agency on the 3rd November, click here

Hebron – Israeli settlers set fire to a Palestinian house in the West Bank city of Hebron on Wednesday, continuing two weeks of violence.

On Tuesday, hundreds of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians in the West Bank city of Hebron on Monday night and Tuesday, throwing stones and beating residents with clubs while Israeli soldiers and police looked on.

Palestinians and their property were attacked in the Ar-Ras, Wadi Al-Hussain and Al-Ja’bari neighborhoods. Settlers also released dogs to attack the Palestinians. Israeli soldiers also fired tear gas and sonic bombs towards Palestinian houses.

Dozens of Palestinian citizens were injured. Witnesses reported that the settler mob numbered in the hundreds.

Settlers groups have descended upon Hebron over the last two weeks since Israel’s High Court of Justice ordered 13 settler families to leave the Palestinian-owned Ar-Rajabi house, which the Israelis have occupied since 2007. Rumors spread on Monday that the Israeli military was preparing to implement the order.

“It is not about Ar-Rajabi building. Settlers want to occupy Al-Ja’bari and As-Salayma neighborhoods as well as Wadi Al-Hussain, Ar-Ras and the Christian neighborhoods in order to connect Kiryat Arba’ and Kiryat Kharsina settlements with other outposts,” said Munawwar Ja’bary, an elderly woman from Ja’bari neighborhood.

She added, “Men, women and children have been attacked and injured. Our houses have been damaged. We have been prevented from leaving our homes. Our cemeteries and mosques have been desecrated in order to force us to leave, yet we will steadfast whatever they do.”

Several houses and shops were also attacked, especially water reservoirs on tops of the houses. Settlers also attempted to force shops’ doors open using crowbars and hammers. Two houses were partially torched. The windows of four cars were shattered and fire was set to two others.

The violence continued all of Monday night. On Tuesday morning settlers resumed their attacks, pelting Palestinians with with stones from the roof of the Ar-Rajabi building.

Witnesses said Israeli police and soldiers stationed in the city did nothing to prevent the attacks, and in some cases facilitated them.

Settlers injure ten Palestinians as they continue to riot in Hebron

At around 10am, 29th November, Palestinians living between the occupied Rajabi house and the settlement Kiryat Arba in Hebron were attacked by a group of up to 300 settlers and were again attacked at 2:30 pm. The settlers were throwing stones at Palestinians and their houses.

The settler rampage continued for two hours. According to some eyewitnesses, settlers were also shooting handguns into the air to intimidate people living in the area.

The Rajabi house (which the settlers call “The Peace House”) is over-looking other Palestinian houses that neighbour the Kiryat Arba settlement. Since the occupation of the house in March 2007, settler attacks against Palestinian residents have greatly increased.

According to eyewitnesses 10 Palestinian men and women, between the ages of 10 and 70 were injured, five of whom were taken to the hospital to be treated for their injuries. The attack, as well as the army’s response, have been caught on cameras distributed by B’tselem to the residents in the area. One clearly shows the settlers gathering to throw stones from the Rajabi house down on the neighbouring Palestinian houses.

According to a resident from the area, the Israeli Army and police forces were present during the whole time of the settler attack. One of the army’s first responses was to tell the Palestinians residents to go into their houses, rather than put an end to the settlers’ attacks. When some Palestinians did not obey this order the soldiers attacked the residents and detained two young men from the Ziade family, inflicting wounds on their wrists and arms.

One of the residents in the area states that even though he was hit in the head with a stone from the settlers, the police and army made him stay in his house for 40 minutes before allowing him to go to the hospital. Another resident, Soad Abu-Sayfan, a 24 year-old woman, was grabbed by an Israeli border police agent by the hair and violently thrown to the ground when she left her home after locking her small children inside for fear of their safety.

Though the attacks on Saturday can be seen as an escalation of settler attacks surrounding the pending evacuation of the occupied Rajibi house, the residents of the area assured solidarity activists that the attacks have become a way of life, even before the occupation two years ago.

The Abu-Sayfan family, who live directly below the fence of the Kiryat Arba settlement have settlers trespassing through their land on a daily basis, intimidating their children and throwing stones at their home. 40 year-old Hisham Abu-Sayfan, who was injured with a rock to his hand today, has said; “in my entire life in this home I have never known a comfortable life”. He constantly worries about the safety of his five small children and the children of his brothers and sisters. The residents of the neighbourhood have extremely limited movement, a shortage of water due to the fact that their tank is shared with nearby settlers and they have little to no protection from local Israeli police.

The Palestinians injured during the attacks today were told that they can file their claims tomorrow at the nearby police station, though several expressed doubt that their complaints would bring any action from the authorities. Hisham Abu-Sayfan has filed five reports in the past and has yet to receive any response.