Settlers attack Palestinians with stones

Settlers attack Palestinians with stones, beat human rights workers with pipe

Today, Palestinians and two international human rights workers (HRWs) were attacked by Israeli settlers in the Tel Rumeida district of Hebron.

At approx. 15:00, three Israeli settlers, around the ages of 10-12, approached two female HRWs. According to the New Zealander HRW, the settlers were screaming, "Get our of here!" and "Stop filming!" The HRW claimed that she was not filming when the settlers attacked. The HRWs backed away from the scene "so that the settlers wouldn't see us as provoking them," said the New Zealander.

According to the HRWs, the settlers then started to throw stones at the New Zealander and the other American HRW. Two male settlers in their 20's and one additional settler youth joined the three other settlers. Together, the settlers started to beat and poke the HRWs with a long pipe. HRWs yelled for help from the Israeli soldier that was stationed nearby. The soldier intervened to stop the settler violence against the HRWs.

The American HRW asked the soldier if he witnessed what had happened. The soldier, according to the HRW, confirmed that he saw the incident, stating, "I know you were not filming. But you are allowed to anyways. You can do whatever you want."

Palestinian women from the Hadad family's house were viewing the scene from their yard. When they started to film the incident, the settlers then turned their attention to the Palestinians and began to attack them with rocks. Though, according to the HRWs, the soldier was trying to prevent the stone throwing, settlers managed to throw a few stoned before the Palestinians that were filming retreated inside the house.

The Palestinians then handed the tape over to the HRWs in order to transfer, and should be available soon.

In Tel Rumeida, Palestinians are not allowed to drive any type of cars, including buses, taxis, ambulances, and fire trucks. Israeli settler civilians are allowed to carry guns, while Palestinians are not allowed to have weapons of any kind. Palestinians are subjected to random detentions and ID checks (Israeli settlers are not). Israeli soldiers frequently invade Palestinian homes or use their roofs as outposts the security forces in the neighborhood are Israeli only and ignore complaints by Palestinians. Last month, Israeli settlers set fire to a Palestinian resident's car. Israeli soldiers refused to allow Palestinian fire trucks to enter Tel Rumeida to extinguish the fire.

ENDS

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