Tag: Kiryat Arba settlement

Fire at field near Kiryat Arba, Hebron

22 May 2011 | International Solidarity Movement

Israeli settlers suspected of starting a fire on Palestinian land near Hebron.
Israeli settlers suspected of starting a fire on Palestinian land near Hebron.

On Thursday May 19 a part of the field of Abd al Kareim al Jabari in Western Hebron, where International Solidarity Movement activists have been present for the past ten days, was set on fire.

Settler children started to throw stones at the ISM activists as soon as they arrived at the farm on Thursday. At 3:40 PM, when the activists were helping the farmer on the land, smoke appeared from another part of the field which is just below a kindergarten in the illegal settlement of Givat Ha’avot. After approximately ten minutes the fire brigade of Kiryat Arba came and started to extinguish the fire, while children from the settlement sang songs and chanted “Death to the Arabs”.

The Israeli military, boarder police and police arrived and straight away requested proof of identity from the ISM activists, a B’tselem activist and one of the daughters of the family. Abd al Kareim al Jabari was told that a man from the illegal settlement claimed that he had seen the ISM activists setting fire to the field! This accuse was apparently confirmed by a settler guard from Kiryat Arba. After checking the identity of the activists and keeping their passports and ID cards for half-an-hour, the military and police drove away.

Israeli settler children overlook area of burned Palestinian land.
Israeli settler children overlook area of burned Palestinian land.

As ISM has reported earlier, the Jabari land is very exposed to settler violence as it lies between the illegal settlements of Kiryat Arba and Givat Ha’avot in Western Hebron.

Settler attacks with Molotov cocktails on Nakba day in Hebron

17 May 2011 | International Solidarity Movement

The school of the illegal settlement Kiryat Arba and the house which was attacked
A Palestinian house was attacked by settlers from the illegal settlement of Kiryat Arba in Western Hebron on May 15, the Nakba day.

Jamal Abu Saifan told the International Solidarity Movement that around 6.30 pm on Sunday, four masked settlers appeared and started to throw Molotov cocktails and glass bottles towards one of the houses of the Abu Saifan family in Western Hebron. 19 people live in the house which was attacked, including several children. The family has five houses, situated just below a religious school of the illegal settlement of Kiryat Arba. The attackers were standing in the school yard.

When the settlers appeared the family called The Red Crescent and TIPH, Temporary International Presence in Hebron, also appeared. Jamal Abu Saifan told ISM that the settlers threw bottles and some Molotov cocktails towards the TIPH personnel when they started to take photos to document the attack.

On Monday 16, the same day as ISM spoke to the family, around 14 settlers appeared at the school yard and threw stones towards the houses. Israeli police arrived and gathered stones and bottles from both attacks. The family has made a complaint to the police about the events. No one was injured in the attacks.

Damage caused by a Molotov cocktail

The family has been exposed to settler violence many times. In December 2009 two members of the Abu Saifan family were shot by settlers. Jamal Abu Saifan told ISM that most of the 90 members of the family have been exposed to stone throwing by settlers from the illegal settlement Kiryat Arba. Water tanks and satellites on the roofs of the houses have also been destroyed by settlers on several occasions.

Activists in Hebron accompany farmer suffering from settler attacks

15 May 2011 | International Solidarity Movement

This past week in the outskirts of Hebron, ISM activists have been helping farmer Abd al Kareim Al Jabari to work his land after him and his family have suffered continuous harrasment from settlers who have prevented them from working their land. In the most recent settler attack on Monday 8th, settlers stole the crops that Abd al Kareim had gathered during the day, took them to another field and tried to set them on fire. To prevent further attacks, he has asked ISM activists to be present whilst he works on his fields.

Six members of Abd al Kareim’s family have been injured after unprovoked attacks by settlers. In 2005 Abd al Kareim’s arm was broken during a prolonged attack. In 2008 his daughter Ayatt Jabari was hurt after being hit in the head by a stone thrown by a settler. Since Palestinian vehicle movement is restricted in the area, Ayatt Jabari had to wait two hours before the ambulance arrived.

Eight years ago a tent serving as a synagogue was raised on the family’s land. The High court has ruled that it should be removed from the private land, but it still remains, despite several complaints and protests from the family and Palestinian, Israeli and international activists.

The family’s land is situated in between the illegal settlements of Kiryat Arba and Hava Oat in the east of Hebron. Hava Oat is a small settlement situated on the top of a hill opposite the main entrance to Kiryat Arba. Kiryat Arba is the biggest settlement in Hebron with approximately 7200 illegal inhabitants. Settlers have made a walkway through the fields of the family. Subsequently, settlers pass by through the fields throughout all the day.

Settlers attack Zatari family in Al Buwayre, wounding father

19 March 2011 | International Solidarity Movement

Mozbah Zatari, shortly after the attack, being carried to the ambulance
Tonight 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.

Harassment and crop destruction in Hebron

International Solidarity Movement

16 June 2010

Hebron's Palestinian residents face more harassment and abuse from soldiers and settlers than in any other major West Bank city
Hebron's Palestinian residents face more harassment and abuse from soldiers and settlers than in any other major West Bank city
Tel Rumeida raid, 14 June

The Israeli army conducted a night raid the on the mosque Othman Ibn Afan in Tel Rumeida, Hebron, 14 June 2010. At 9.30 pm local residents and mosque visitors witnessed approximately 14 heavily armed soldiers waiting outside the mosque, ultimately for the purpose of detaining several men.

The men were taken individually to the other side of the street and were stripped of their belongings, photographed and identified. A group of international activists arrived around 11 pm, and shortly thereafter the soldiers packed up and left the mosque. According to local residents none of the detained men were arrested or hurt. The Israeli soldiers outside the mosque called the night venture “an intelligence operation”.

Crop destruction near Kiryat Arba Settlement in Hebron, 16 June

During the night, settlers raided and destroyed crops and water supply on the land of a family living in Jabal Jahwar near the Kiryat Arba Settlement in Hebron. The following morning, the family, upset by the damage to their land, detailed regular property destruction by the settlers. Offenses included ongoing harassment, destruction of plants and water supply for the crops, poisoning plants and trying to cut down olive trees.