Illegal Israeli Settlers Step Up Grabbing Palestinian Lands, Property, Attack Peace Activists

Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

Settlers stepping up construction, attack Jewish Peace Now activists

Thursday July 09, 2009 00:18 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

The Israeli Peace Now movement published a video filmed by its activists in Dolev settlement in the occupied West Bank.

Image from video recorded by Peace Now

The Pace Now team was documenting ongoing construction in the illegal settlement.

The video was reported by Israel’s TV, Channel 2, as its news team was documenting the work of peace now activists.

The video shows a settler attacking the crew and then attacking their vehicle.

One of the activists used to be a soldier with the Israeli army, and was shot by Palestinian fire in his head. It took him two and a half years of rehabilitation sessions to be able to speak again. He was hit by a bullet that shattered his jaw, took away part of his tongue and some teeth.

Violent attack by Israeli settlers against Palestinian, international and Israeli peace activists remain on the rise while the Israeli government is talking about more settlements ‘for natural growth of the population’ in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Last year, a bomb exploded outside the house of Professor Zeev Strenhell, and the extremist group that carried the attack distributed flyers threatening to kill anyone who is a member of Peace Now.

Peace Now reported that 20 years ago, a peace now activist, identified as Emil Grunzweig, was killed when a settler threw a grenade at Peace Now activists.

Palestinians stop settler attempt to occupy a house in East Jerusalem

Wednesday July 08, 2009 16:30 by Katherine Orwell - 1 of International Middle East Media Center Editorial Group

A group of Israeli settlers tried to take over a home in the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, in East-Jerusalem on Tuesday night. The attempt was thwarted by senior Fatah officials that had gathered in the house, that belongs to a local Palestinian.

The settlers had come to the house accompanied by Israeli forces, claiming that the house was abandoned. The group of Palestinians present in the house told them that it was Palestinian property. Arguments between the settlers, the Palestinian and soldiers took place, but no clashes were reported.

The settlers are claiming that they owned the land in the neighborhood before 1948, though the Palestinians inhabiting the area have deeds and other evidence that indicate they are the rightful owners. At the moment a court case on this issue is pending in the Israeli Supreme Court. The proceedings are expected to begin in September.

The settlers are not awaiting the court’s decision. Locals say that the past few weeks have seen a redoubling of settler efforts to take over the house.

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