Another Case of Severe Violence against Palestinians – “Tag Mechir”

On Monday, 13.12.10, 7:00am 18 settlers, 3 of them armed, attacked with sticks one tent encampment, of the Nawajaa family, near to Susya settlement. One of the Palestinians needed to be hospitalized in the hospital in Yata near Hebron.
 
The army arrived and would not allow the passage of a Palestinian ambulance that had been called. The DCO claimed they would not allow the passage of the ambulance since it hadn't been coordinated and was not a humanitarian case, a claim that is hard to understand.
The police SJ County was immediately informed, but after three hours they had not resolved the problem, claiming that the first person to call them refused to identify himself, a claim which is baseless since the police called him back to get instructions on how to get to the place. The police reported that it was decided that the army would deal with the situation. RHR emphasized to the police representatives that the police and the army have different roles in dealing with such a violent event and that therefore their reply is scandalous. Only after several hours and after RHR turned to the ombudsman, a police patrol vehicle arrived at the area, but did not enter the site of the event.
It is probably a “Tag Mechir” action, as a reaction to sheep steeling from a illegal outpost resident in the area.

This severe incident can be added to two other attacks, a month ago, by masked people who came from the Susya settlement and attacked Palestinians and volunteers who were harvesting their olive trees, and caused property damage and bodily injuries to people.
Rabbis for Human Rights views with seriousness the violent attacks against this area's residents, and the failure of the police and the army to step in while violent actions against the residents are being carried out, with .

A few months ago Rabbis for Human Rights submitted an appeal to the Supreme Court in the name of some Palestinian families who own lands around the Susya settlement. The appeal deals, among other things, with army and police failure in dealing with repeated violent incidents against the petitioners in the last years. The appeal included 80 complaints that were submitted to the Hebron District police and were not dealt with properly. We await  the hearing of this .

 

 A hearing in the Magistrates Court: A settler from Shiloh is suing Palestinian farmers from Krayut

On Sunday December 12th a hearing was held in the Magistrates Court regarding a settler from Shiloh who requested a restraining order to prevent the Palestinian owners from reaching and working their land near the main road next to their village, Krayut. The settler admitted in court that the only document he has to prove his ownership is the book of Samuel, particularly the part that deals with the Tabernacle  of Shiloh and Eli serving there as a priest. The settler submitted the request as a part of a suit that has been filed in the court requesting recognition of him as the lawful owner of the land. Rabbis for Human Rights are representing the Palestinian owners of the land in court. The court heard testimonies from both sides, among them the testimony of Rabbi Arik Ascherman. The lawyers cross examined the witnesses. After summarizing the claims, the judge determined that the decision will be sent by mail. We are waiting to receive it.