28 nov 2019
The United Nations Human Rights Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory urged Israel to take all necessary measures to prevent settler attacks against the Palestinian civilian population in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, from such attacks.
The Palestinian News and Info Agency (WAFA) reported that the UN appealed to Israel to promptly conduct effective, independent and impartial investigations into cases of settler violence.
On 22 and 23 November, persons identified as settlers carried out at least six attacks against the Palestinian civilians, resulting in injuries in H2 area of Hebron, under full Israeli control, coinciding with a Jewish holiday, the UN Human Rights Office said.
“On many occasions, Israeli Security Forces present in H2 did not take action to prevent the attacks or to protect the population. In one incident, eight members of an extended Palestinian family were beaten, including with batons, and pepper sprayed in the street in Wadi Al Hussein neighborhood by a group of 50 settlers.
The violent attack resulted in a broken arm of one member, a head injury of another, and six more family members were briefly hospitalized for pepper spray inhalation and other injuries. Nearby, a nine year old boy was reportedly kicked and sprayed with pepper spray by adult settlers, after which he required hospitalization,” said the UN Human Rights Office.
Several Israeli soldiers present near both incidents, did not intervene or arrest anyone.
In another incident on 23 November, a large number of settlers threw stones and bottles at a house in Tel Rumeida, with one stone landing inside the house and hitting a toddler in the head. The family could not evacuate the boy for over 20 minutes due to the ongoing attacks against the house.
As a group of six Palestinians carried the boy to checkpoint 56, where an ambulance was waiting, a group of settlers reportedly sprayed them with pepper spray.
“Since the end of the mandate of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron on 31 January 2019, the frequency and intensity of settler attacks in H2 of Hebron has significantly increased,” it said.
“As the occupying power, Israel has the obligation to ensure the safety and well-being of the Palestinian population, and to protect them from settlers’ attacks. Where attacks do occur, Israel holds the obligation to ensure that those responsible are prosecuted and punished.”
The Palestinian News and Info Agency (WAFA) reported that the UN appealed to Israel to promptly conduct effective, independent and impartial investigations into cases of settler violence.
On 22 and 23 November, persons identified as settlers carried out at least six attacks against the Palestinian civilians, resulting in injuries in H2 area of Hebron, under full Israeli control, coinciding with a Jewish holiday, the UN Human Rights Office said.
“On many occasions, Israeli Security Forces present in H2 did not take action to prevent the attacks or to protect the population. In one incident, eight members of an extended Palestinian family were beaten, including with batons, and pepper sprayed in the street in Wadi Al Hussein neighborhood by a group of 50 settlers.
The violent attack resulted in a broken arm of one member, a head injury of another, and six more family members were briefly hospitalized for pepper spray inhalation and other injuries. Nearby, a nine year old boy was reportedly kicked and sprayed with pepper spray by adult settlers, after which he required hospitalization,” said the UN Human Rights Office.
Several Israeli soldiers present near both incidents, did not intervene or arrest anyone.
In another incident on 23 November, a large number of settlers threw stones and bottles at a house in Tel Rumeida, with one stone landing inside the house and hitting a toddler in the head. The family could not evacuate the boy for over 20 minutes due to the ongoing attacks against the house.
As a group of six Palestinians carried the boy to checkpoint 56, where an ambulance was waiting, a group of settlers reportedly sprayed them with pepper spray.
“Since the end of the mandate of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron on 31 January 2019, the frequency and intensity of settler attacks in H2 of Hebron has significantly increased,” it said.
“As the occupying power, Israel has the obligation to ensure the safety and well-being of the Palestinian population, and to protect them from settlers’ attacks. Where attacks do occur, Israel holds the obligation to ensure that those responsible are prosecuted and punished.”
27 nov 2019
A large horde of extremist Jewish settlers at dawn Wednesday stormed an abandoned area in southern Jenin, where the illegal settlement of Homesh was once located, and attacked Palestinian vehicles traveling on a nearby road.
Local sources told a reporter for the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that a large number of settlers swarmed the area between the towns of Silat ad-Dhahr and Burqa and in the olive groves there as well as on the Jenin-Nablus road.
They added that the settlers embarked on hurling stones at passing cars, causing material damage to them and forced many drivers to use alternative routes.
Local sources told a reporter for the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that a large number of settlers swarmed the area between the towns of Silat ad-Dhahr and Burqa and in the olive groves there as well as on the Jenin-Nablus road.
They added that the settlers embarked on hurling stones at passing cars, causing material damage to them and forced many drivers to use alternative routes.
Israeli soldiers injured, on Wednesday at dawn, at least twenty-six Palestinians in the northern West Bank city of Nablus, after the army accompanied dozens of colonialist settlers into Joseph’s Tomb, east of the city.
Media sources said the soldiers invaded Joseph’s Tomb area, and resorted to the excessive use of force against Palestinian youngsters, protesting the invasion.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said the soldiers shot 15 Palestinians with rubber-coated steel bullets, and caused at least eleven to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation.
It is worth mentioning that an armored bulldozer accompanied the invading soldiers while a military drone hovered overhead.
Joseph the Patriarch is revered by Jews, Muslims, Christians, and Samaritans alike. The Israeli military allows Jews to visit as part of organized pilgrimages, despite the site being located in Area A where the PA has full control, and prohibits locals from worshiping at the site.
Ultra-orthodox and nationalist Jews regularly try to visit the shrine without approval, as many Jews believe the tomb to be the final resting place of the biblical figure in the Old Testament.
Palestinians believe that Joseph’s Tomb is the funerary monument to Sheikh Yousif Dweikat, a local religious and social figure; however, the Palestinians are denied access to the site.
On Tuesday at night, illegal colonists hurled stones and empty bottles on Palestinian cars driving on the Jenin-Nablus road, in additional to verbally and physically assaulting several Palestinians walking in that area, while Israeli soldiers stood and watched without attempting to intervene.
Media sources said the soldiers invaded Joseph’s Tomb area, and resorted to the excessive use of force against Palestinian youngsters, protesting the invasion.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said the soldiers shot 15 Palestinians with rubber-coated steel bullets, and caused at least eleven to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation.
It is worth mentioning that an armored bulldozer accompanied the invading soldiers while a military drone hovered overhead.
Joseph the Patriarch is revered by Jews, Muslims, Christians, and Samaritans alike. The Israeli military allows Jews to visit as part of organized pilgrimages, despite the site being located in Area A where the PA has full control, and prohibits locals from worshiping at the site.
Ultra-orthodox and nationalist Jews regularly try to visit the shrine without approval, as many Jews believe the tomb to be the final resting place of the biblical figure in the Old Testament.
Palestinians believe that Joseph’s Tomb is the funerary monument to Sheikh Yousif Dweikat, a local religious and social figure; however, the Palestinians are denied access to the site.
On Tuesday at night, illegal colonists hurled stones and empty bottles on Palestinian cars driving on the Jenin-Nablus road, in additional to verbally and physically assaulting several Palestinians walking in that area, while Israeli soldiers stood and watched without attempting to intervene.
Extremist Israeli settlers Tuesday spray-painted racist graffiti and slashed tires of several vehicles in the village of Jaba’a, southwest of the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem, The Palestinian News and Info Agency (WAFA) reported.
Security sources stated that the illegal Israeli settlers sneaked into the village, punctured the tires of parked vehicles and spray-painted racist graffiti and slogans on vehicles and houses.
Settler attacks against Palestinians and their property is routine in the West Bank and is rarely, if ever prosecuted by Israeli authorities.
Over 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across the occupied West Bank, in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Security sources stated that the illegal Israeli settlers sneaked into the village, punctured the tires of parked vehicles and spray-painted racist graffiti and slogans on vehicles and houses.
Settler attacks against Palestinians and their property is routine in the West Bank and is rarely, if ever prosecuted by Israeli authorities.
Over 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across the occupied West Bank, in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Israeli soldiers injured, Tuesday, many Palestinians during a protest near Huwwara military roadblock, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said its medics provided treatment to many Palestinians who suffered the effects of teargas inhalation.
The attack took place when hundreds of residents nonviolently marched to the area of the military roadblock denouncing the illegal Israeli policies, and the lawless American recognition of Israel’s illegal colonies, built on private Palestinian lands in the West Bank, including the occupied capital Jerusalem, in direct violation of International Law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The Palestinians also marched condemning the death of detainee Sami Abu Diak, 37, who died after Israel refused to allow him access to urgently needed specialized medical care.
In related news, Israeli squatters from Yitzhar illegal colony, burnt large areas of Palestinian farmlands, in Madama village, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said its medics provided treatment to many Palestinians who suffered the effects of teargas inhalation.
The attack took place when hundreds of residents nonviolently marched to the area of the military roadblock denouncing the illegal Israeli policies, and the lawless American recognition of Israel’s illegal colonies, built on private Palestinian lands in the West Bank, including the occupied capital Jerusalem, in direct violation of International Law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The Palestinians also marched condemning the death of detainee Sami Abu Diak, 37, who died after Israel refused to allow him access to urgently needed specialized medical care.
In related news, Israeli squatters from Yitzhar illegal colony, burnt large areas of Palestinian farmlands, in Madama village, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
26 nov 2019
The indictment is a result of an 8-year battle against the leader of an anti-assimilation group, Bentzi Gopstein, known for making inflammatory remarks about Palestinians; 'Stay in your village if you want to be safe,' he urged Arabs in one interview
Israeli prosecutors have charged the leader of a Jewish extremist group with incitement to violence and terrorism for inflammatory remarks about Palestinians.
The indictment against Bentzi Gopstein - the leader of the Lehava organization which strictly opposes Jewish assimilation - was filed Tuesday in the Jerusalem Magistrates Court.
According to the Justice Ministry, Gopstein in the past made public calls for committing acts of violence, published racially inciting material and voiced support for Baruch Goldstein, a Jewish extremist who massacred 29 Muslim worshippers at Hebron's Ibrahimi Mosque in 1994.
The 50-year-old is also a member of the radical Otzma Yehudit party (Jewish Power), which was barred earlier this year from running in parliamentary elections over his anti-Arab racism.
Otzma Yehudit is comprised of hard-line religious nationalists who have cast themselves as successors to the outlawed Kahanist movement, which advocated the forced removal of Palestinians.
The decision to indict Gopstein came following an eight-year legal battle with the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC).
Gopstein remained defiant in the face of the indictment, claiming the Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit and the State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan, are part of "the Jewish reform movement's grip over the judicial system."
"They've decided that the war against anti-miscegenation is a racist issue," said Gopstein. "This is a dark day for the judicial system, where its officials go against the word of the Bible. There is no doubt in my mind that were the Maccabees alive today, they would've been thrown in jail for racism."
According to the indictment, Gopstein participated in at least five Lehava-led incidents of public incitement to racism and violence between 2012 and 2017.
One of the charges involves a video posted on the right-wing news outlet Channel 7, where Gopstein remarked on an incident in Jerusalem where three Jewish teenagers attacked three Arab youths, resulting in one of the victims being hurt badly and needing medical attention.
In the video, Gopstein is heard describing how "the police and the media are lynching these Jewish boys for no reason."
"Every day Jewish girls are assaulted by Arabs and have no one to turn to, the police don't care," he said. "These boys fought for the disgraced dignity of the Jewish people. If these Arabs want to get girls, they should do it in their villages. Don't come to Jerusalem, don't come to the mall", he said.
In other media appearances, Gopstein was noted for saying racist and violent statements, such as, "I'm not a pacifist ... Some Arabs deserve to be treated violently," and "I don't go to weddings where there are Palestinians."
When asked by an interviewer what would happen if he came across one at a wedding, Gopstein responded, saying, "I'll go look for the nearest hospital."
Rabbi Noa Sattath, the director of the Israel Religious Action Center, said in response: "The attempt by the Lehava leader to present his racist and violent doctrine as Judaism failed. The IRAC will keep tracking the racist agitation by his group and other such extremist leaders."
Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of the Otzma Yehudit party and an attorney representing Gopstein called the indictment "an attempt to silence and persecute."
"What is not done to radical left and Arab leaders, is done to Gopstein," he said. "This trial is political persecution against a man who fought for the women of Israel and the good of the Jewish people."
Israeli prosecutors have charged the leader of a Jewish extremist group with incitement to violence and terrorism for inflammatory remarks about Palestinians.
The indictment against Bentzi Gopstein - the leader of the Lehava organization which strictly opposes Jewish assimilation - was filed Tuesday in the Jerusalem Magistrates Court.
According to the Justice Ministry, Gopstein in the past made public calls for committing acts of violence, published racially inciting material and voiced support for Baruch Goldstein, a Jewish extremist who massacred 29 Muslim worshippers at Hebron's Ibrahimi Mosque in 1994.
The 50-year-old is also a member of the radical Otzma Yehudit party (Jewish Power), which was barred earlier this year from running in parliamentary elections over his anti-Arab racism.
Otzma Yehudit is comprised of hard-line religious nationalists who have cast themselves as successors to the outlawed Kahanist movement, which advocated the forced removal of Palestinians.
The decision to indict Gopstein came following an eight-year legal battle with the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC).
Gopstein remained defiant in the face of the indictment, claiming the Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit and the State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan, are part of "the Jewish reform movement's grip over the judicial system."
"They've decided that the war against anti-miscegenation is a racist issue," said Gopstein. "This is a dark day for the judicial system, where its officials go against the word of the Bible. There is no doubt in my mind that were the Maccabees alive today, they would've been thrown in jail for racism."
According to the indictment, Gopstein participated in at least five Lehava-led incidents of public incitement to racism and violence between 2012 and 2017.
One of the charges involves a video posted on the right-wing news outlet Channel 7, where Gopstein remarked on an incident in Jerusalem where three Jewish teenagers attacked three Arab youths, resulting in one of the victims being hurt badly and needing medical attention.
In the video, Gopstein is heard describing how "the police and the media are lynching these Jewish boys for no reason."
"Every day Jewish girls are assaulted by Arabs and have no one to turn to, the police don't care," he said. "These boys fought for the disgraced dignity of the Jewish people. If these Arabs want to get girls, they should do it in their villages. Don't come to Jerusalem, don't come to the mall", he said.
In other media appearances, Gopstein was noted for saying racist and violent statements, such as, "I'm not a pacifist ... Some Arabs deserve to be treated violently," and "I don't go to weddings where there are Palestinians."
When asked by an interviewer what would happen if he came across one at a wedding, Gopstein responded, saying, "I'll go look for the nearest hospital."
Rabbi Noa Sattath, the director of the Israel Religious Action Center, said in response: "The attempt by the Lehava leader to present his racist and violent doctrine as Judaism failed. The IRAC will keep tracking the racist agitation by his group and other such extremist leaders."
Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of the Otzma Yehudit party and an attorney representing Gopstein called the indictment "an attempt to silence and persecute."
"What is not done to radical left and Arab leaders, is done to Gopstein," he said. "This trial is political persecution against a man who fought for the women of Israel and the good of the Jewish people."
A group of fanatic illegal Israeli colonists cut, on Tuesday morning, at least thirty Palestinian olive trees in the as-Sawiya area, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian Authority official who monitors Israel’s illegal colonialist activities in northern West Bank, said the colonists cut at least thirty olive trees in the al-Wadi area.
He added that the trees are owned by Mohammad Yousef Tayyim and Ali Mahmoud Suleiman, both from the as-Sawiya village.
Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian Authority official who monitors Israel’s illegal colonialist activities in northern West Bank, said the colonists cut at least thirty olive trees in the al-Wadi area.
He added that the trees are owned by Mohammad Yousef Tayyim and Ali Mahmoud Suleiman, both from the as-Sawiya village.
A group of fanatic illegal Israeli colonists burnt, on Monday night after midnight, several Palestinian olive trees in the Archeological Area in Sebastia Palestinian town, northwest of Nablus, in northern West Bank.
The Mayor of Sebastia, Mohammad Azem, said the alertness of the local neighborhood watch committees, and the residents, managed to avert the burning of hundreds of trees.
He added that the colonists were attempting to burn the trees in 25 Dunams of Palestinian olive orchards.
Azem said the residents managed to notice the fire fast, and chased the colonists out of their orchards, before extinguishing the fire which already consumed several trees.
It is worth mentioning that the colonists fled towards the site of the evacuated Homesh illegal outpost, west of Nablus, while Israeli soldiers rushed to the area and prevented the Palestinians from chasing them.
The Mayor of Sebastia, Mohammad Azem, said the alertness of the local neighborhood watch committees, and the residents, managed to avert the burning of hundreds of trees.
He added that the colonists were attempting to burn the trees in 25 Dunams of Palestinian olive orchards.
Azem said the residents managed to notice the fire fast, and chased the colonists out of their orchards, before extinguishing the fire which already consumed several trees.
It is worth mentioning that the colonists fled towards the site of the evacuated Homesh illegal outpost, west of Nablus, while Israeli soldiers rushed to the area and prevented the Palestinians from chasing them.