Israeli settlers set home ablaze in Hebron Old City

Date: 06 / 12 / 2008  Time:  11:42
Hebron – Ma’an –

 A mob of illegal Israeli settlers set ablaze a Palestinian home in the Old City of Hebron on Saturday after climbing to the roof and damaging the home's interior, according to the family who owns the home.

Nidal Al-'Uweiwi, the house's owner, said that on Saturday several illegal Israeli settlers stormed the house from the roof, setting fire to the living room and "completely destroying" the kitchen, all while the 11-member family hid themselves in a separate room.

Al-‘Uwewi told Ma’an that he called Palestinian Authority (PA) police, who arrived on the scene. Firefighters later arrived to extinguish the fire.

Two police officers were hurt as they suffered smoke inhalation while trying to rescue the family. The officers were transferred to a nearby hospital by ambulances sent from the Palestinian Red Crescent.

On Friday, Settlers attacked the nearby house of the Abu Su'aifan family and during ensuing clashes, a settler fired his handgun at 40-year-old Hosni Abu Su'aifan, who was shot in the chest and is in stable condition. His father, 65-year-old Abdul Haiy Abu-Sa'ifan, was moderately wounded in the arm. The two were taken to a Hebron hospital.

The video shows other members of the family, who manage to overcome the shooter, before a security guard from the nearby settlement of Kiryat Arba arrives at the scene and fires his weapon in the air.

B'Tselem is currently delivering the video to the Hebron Police, "demanding that the assailant is immediately brought to justice and that the involvement of the security guard be investigated."

Additionally, the rights group is demanding that security forces "investigate the failures that allowed settlers to riot throughout the afternoon and evening in Hebron's Palestinian neighborhoods."

B'Tselem also claimed that the Israeli army knew "in advance" that settlers would attack Palestinians in reaction to the eviction.

The statement and video came a day after a "wave of settler violence” was unleashed against Palestinians in retaliation for the Israeli army's actions against illegal settlements in Hebron.

Israeli forces forcibly removed 250 right-wing settlers from a Palestinian house in the West Bank city of Hebron, weeks after the Israeli High Court ordered their eviction.

Settlers have repeatedly attacked Palestinian homes in the city over the past few days. Prior to the evacuation, Israeli settlers fired randomly at Palestinian homes. Settlers set fire to two Palestinian homes and a store, later attacking a number of residents in the Wadi Hussain area of Hebron.

The evacuation touched off violent settler attacks across the West Bank.

***Updated 11:49 Bethlehem time

Settlers block road south of Nablus; Israeli occupation forces periodically close Huwwara

Date: 06 / 12 / 2008  Time:  13:39
Nablus – Ma’an –

A secondary road between Nablus and the illegal Israeli settlement of Yitzhar was blocked on Saturday by dozens of Israeli settlers who broke the windows of Palestinian cars.

The incident took place near Madama, a village on the route of the road. Head of the village council said Saturday’s attack was the third day in a row where settlers vandalized cars and prevented passage on the bypass road

The main road into Nablus has been intermittently shut by Israeli forces, who close the Huwwara checkpoint, which controls the entry and exit of traffic into the area. Soldiers report fear of settler attacks against Palestinian citizens as the rational for restricting Palestinian movement around the West Bank.

On Thursday, Israeli occupation forces forcibly removed 250 right-wing settlers from a Palestinian house in the West Bank city of Hebron, weeks after the Israeli High Court ordered their eviction.

Settlers have repeatedly attacked Palestinian homes in the city over the past few days. Prior to the evacuation, illegal Israeli settlers fired randomly at Palestinian homes. Settlers set fire to two Palestinian homes and a store, later attacking a number of residents in the Wadi Hussain area of Hebron.

The evacuation touched off violent settler attacks across the West Bank.