Israeli occupation soldiers, settlers, attack peace activists near Hebron

Sunday June 07, 2009 00:55 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agecnies

The Maan News Agency reported Saturday that Israeli soldiers and settlers attacked dozens of International, Israeli and Palestinian peace activists who were protesting against the settlers of Susia illegal settlement outpost, in the southern West Bank city of Hebron.

The protest was carried out after the settlers expanded their outpost by annexing more privately-owned Palestinian lands.

The settlers brought mobile homes and caravans, and installed them on Palestinian lands adjacent to the outpost.

An Israeli peace activist stated that the army declared the area a closed military zone in order to bar the activists from protesting, and added that "it seems that every Israeli soldier can declare any Palestinian area as a closed military zone".

He added that the soldiers were racist and used excessive force against the peaceful protesters, and that the army forbade the civilians and activists from remaining in the area, but at the same time allowed the settlers to stay.

Meanwhile, settlers of the illegal Bat Ayin settlement, north of Hebron, set ablaze olive trees and grapevines.

The peace activists and the residents tried to enter the area but some settlers attacked them and the Israeli forces started checking the identity cards of the activists.

The activists are members of the Ta’ahush (Coexistence) Arab-Jewish peace group. The army interrogated them and a number of Palestinian activists while the settlers continued their attacks.

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