The background to this is that several weeks ago, a Jewish Israeli set fire to
a Palestinian home. As a result, an eighteen month old boy and his parents
died. Although authorities voiced concern, and although they eventually said
that they knew the identity of the perpetrator, they have not arrested anyone.
The killing of the Israeli settler couple is, apparently, an act in revenge for
the death of the Palestinian family. The reported violence in the article
below, followed.
Miriam
Haaretz September 4, 2015
Palestinians Report More Than 100 Wounded After Violent Clashes Erupt in West
Bank
Less than a day after deadly attack in Jerusalem's Old City, Israel Defense
Forces carry out numerous arrest operations.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.678774
Amira Hass |
Palestinian protesters stand amid blazes of fire during clashes in the West
Bank village of Burin on October 3, 2015.Credit: AFP
●
Lack of Israeli-Palestinian cooperation may drag West Bank into long wave of
violence
●
Palestinians cannot see the settlers as innocent civilians
●
Day after stabbing attacks, Palestinians barred from Jerusalem's Old City for
two days
Violent clashes broke out Sunday morning across the West Bank between
Palestinian youths and Israeli security forces.
Palestinians report that since the terrorist attacks in Jerusalem's Old City,
in which Nehemia Lavie and Aharon Benita were killed and two were wounded, in
addition to a separate attack that left a 15-year-old teen wounded, more than
100 Palestinians were wounded by gunfire and teargas in clashes with the army.
Palestinians also report attacks by settlers. Demonstrators are protesting the
Israel Police ban on non-resident Palestinians from entering the Old City.
The confrontations broke out at the Atara checkpoint north of Bir Zeit, at the
Bayt Furik checkpoint, at the Al-Arub refugee camp between Bethlehem and
Hebron, the Jalazun refugee camp north of Ramallah, and Jerusalem's Old City
and Isawiyya neighborhood. The police have blocked entrance into Isawiyya, the
home of Fadi Alon, who was shot to death by the police after moderately
wounding a 15-year-old in Jerusalem's Musrara neighborhood.
Palestinians cast doubts on the Israeli report that Alon tried to stab a Jew.
Based on a video that was distributed, they report that a group of Jews
attacked him and called on the police to shoot him without reason.
Before dawn on Sunday, a large military force broke into the Jenin refugee camp
and surrounded the home of Qays a-Sa'adi, a member of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam
Brigades. It remains unknown whether he was in the home when it was hit by a
LAW missile and destroyed.
At least 18 Palestinians were wounded, some seriously, in clashes that erupted
between the army and youths. Three were arrested. A special army force entered
the Arab hospital and arrested one of the patients, Karm al-Masri, 23, hospital
officials told the Ma'an news agency.
The youth was hospitalized two days ago because of a broken hand, according to
the hospital. While dragging Masri through the building stairwell toward the
outside, the soldiers broke hospital surveillance cameras, the hospital
director reported.
Around 2 A.M., army forces entered the village of Surda, north of Ramallah, in
which lives the family of the terrorist from Saturday night's Old City attack,
19-year-old Mohannad Hallabi. The troops entered from different directions,
accompanied by gunfire. According to the report, Palestinian youths spread out
in the village streets late in the evening to protect the Hallabi home.
The soldiers dispersed them with teargas, stun grenades and live fire.
According to the report, armed Palestinians also shot at the soldiers, who
arrived by foot and in military vehicles. The force entered the home, conducted
a search, interrogated the father and confiscated some of the terrorist's
effects. The family removed all the home's contents, expecting the army to
demolish it, although it had yet to receive a demolition order.
A group of Palestinian youths danced Saturday night next to the house, praising
Hallabi and his deed, while his parents stood on the side, shocked and mute.
There were clashes between Palestinian youths and soldiers next to the Jalazun
refugee camp, northeast of Surda. Soldiers shot and damaged and Palestinian
ambulance, according to a Palestinian report. Two volunteers accompanying the
medical crew were wounded.
There were also clashes in the Hebron area. Palestinians reported that a
firebomb was thrown at a military jeep in Halhul, and a homemade explosive
device was thrown an army position in Bayt Umar. Soldiers fired teargas and
sponge bullets at Palestinian demonstrators both there and in other Palestinian
communities in the Hebron area.
Three days have passed since the murder of the Henkin couple, and Palestinians
in the West Bank know they have to drive cautiously on main arteries. Some
reported hearing warnings from Palestinian security representatives. Official
Palestinian sources have been reporting attacks and provocations by settlers in
villages and in the areas of Nablus, Hebron and Ramallah. Immediately after the
Saturday night terror attack in Jerusalem, Israelis attacked Burin, south of
Nablus, setting village fields and groves on fire, according to Palestinian
reports. The Israelis reportedly descended from the settlements of Yizhar and
Bracha.
Palestinian media also reported on Israeli citizens, most likely settlers,
attacking and wounding a 65-year-old security guard in Yatta's Sheikh Park.
Another group of Israelis damaged the car of a Palestinian doctor at Reef
Junction, south of Hebron. Others attacked the Dana family home in Hebron, next
to Kiryat Arba, and broke into the A-Salayma neighborhood.
The army on Sunday morning set up temporary checkpoints on roads across the
West Bank, causing long delays for Palestinian drivers and passengers.
According to a Voice of Palestine report, the road between North Ramallah and
Nablus was closed during the morning hours because of gatherings of settlers on
the roadside and clashes between Palestinian youths and soldiers.
$m.stack.teaserArticleAuthorImage.content.alt
Amira Hass
Haaretz Correspondent