For three days, since it began on Saturday night, large groups of settlers have been rampaging through Palestinian villages and towns in the West Bank and 1948 areas/inside the Green Line, burning down Palestinian homes, vandalising parked Palestinian cars and throwing stones and shooting at Palestinian drivers, and attacking Palestinians. (For a full overview please visit http://www.addameer.org/september2000/media/overview.html or the North American mirror http://nigelparry.com/september2000/media/overview.html)
In a continuation of Israeli settler violence against Palestinians, numerous areas throughout the West Bank and Gaza, and 1948 areas reported continued settler attacks throughout the day, and carried on late into the evening. In Jenin, Nablus, Bethlehem, Hebron, Khan Younis and Rafah, Israeli settlers attacked school children on their way home from school today. In some instances, Israeli settlers shot at children near their schools.
In the village of Silt Al Thaher in the Jenin area, armed Israeli settlers attacked three Palestinian schools, in addition to nearby houses. Palestinian cars traveling along the main road of the village, connecting Jenin to Nablus and Tulkarem, were also attacked by the settlers, with a number of injuries reported.
In Ya'bad, also near Jenin, armed Israeli settlers, under the protection of the Israeli military, attacked school children at their school on the outskirts of the village, shooting at the school and at children attempting to flee to their homes. In order to reach their homes, children had to pass through the settlers and soldiers, after which clashes erupted. Several injuries were reported.
In Hossan village near Bethlehem, another Palestinian school was attacked by Israeli settlers under the protection of the Israeli military. Clashes followed the assault, which are on going. A number of injuries have been reported, including an ambulance driver. The ambulance driver was attempting to reach those injured when the ambulance was shot at, the driver pulled out of the car and severely beaten by Israeli settlers. Israeli settlers also attacked a mini-bus carrying disabled children to Bethlehem, smashing the windows of the bus.
In Rafah, Gaza, Israeli settlers within an Israeli military post shot at school children on their way home from a nearby school. Several injuries were reported. Brief clashes erupted as the children passed the military post in order to reach their homes. One 12 year old child is reported to be clinically dead as a result of live ammunition to his head. At least 2 other injured are said to be in critical condition. Further settler attacks of school children were also reported in Khan Younis, near the Kfar Darom and Gush Katif settlements.
Earlier this morning, a second apartment complex was attacked by Israeli rockets and destroyed on Al Shuhada street near Netzarim Junction. The complex had been evacuated three days earlier as it had already witnessed several rocket attacks. On Erez, Carmi and Rafah border crossings, 20 shipping trucks were burnt with their contents, with another 70 trucks smashed and a number of parked cars destroyed by Israeli settlers. The vehicles have been unaccessable to their Palestinian owners as they are in an Israeli military controlled area.
In the Ramallah area, clashes erupted again this afternoon near the northern entrance of the city, with a number of injuries reported. Ra'ed Hammoudi, currently in Ramallah hospital, is reported to be in extremely critical condition from live ammunition. Recent reports state that Israeli settlers have been stoning Palestinian cars at the nearby Jalazone Refugee Camp. Jamal Abdel Hamid, 40 years old, is reported to be in extremely critical condition in Ramallah hospital after his car was attacked by settlers near Ofra settlement. Jamal was dragged out his car, severely beaten, and thrown to the side of the road. His skull was damaged, causing internal bleeding, as a result of the attack. Nearby Birzeit University announced that all of its classes will be shortened to half an hour, ending the university day at 2:00 PM as a result of the danger faced by students traveling home after 5:00 PM.
In Umm Safa, Israeli settlers and Israeli Police sealed off the entrance of the village and have been preventing anyone from entering or leaving the area after the funeral of Issam Judeh today. Later this evening Israeli settlers under the protection of the Israeli military invaded the village, attacking houses, smashing windows and destroying cars. Clashes are on-going, with reports of live ammunition fire. No further information is available.
Nablus has been declared a closed military zone by the Israeli Authorities. Israeli settlers attacked several villages around Nablus, including the villages of Yitmah and Howarrah. Howarrah has been under Israeli-imposed curfew for three days. During the curfew today, Israeli settlers, under the protection of the Israeli military, attacked houses and smashed windows and cars, forcing residents to come out of their homes to defend themselves. Upon leaving their homes, Israeli soldiers shot at residents after being charged with breaking the curfew. At least 10 injuries from live ammunition have been reported.
In Jerusalem, settler attacks continue throughout the night. Several roads leading from local neighborhoods to the center of Jerusalem have been sealed off by settlers. Reports of houses being attacked in Beit Hanina and Bir Nabala continue. Attempts by settlers to burn the Latin Patriarchate church during last night's attacks were unsuccessful. However, attempts to attack churches within Jerusalem neighborhoods continue tonight. In the old city of Jerusalem, a Palestinian was severely beaten and injured by a sharp object to his head by Isreali settlers. Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem reported that this was the 17th palestinian to come to the hospital as a result of such attacks within the last three days.
In the 1948 areas/inside the Green Line, a number of cities reported settler attacks on Palestinian workers during the day. In Haifa, Jewish residents attacked Palestinian residents and destroyed three tombs within a nearby Islamic cemetary. Clashes stopped after Israeli police interfered.
In Akka, clashes erupted briefly after several hundred Jewish residents of the New City attacked the Old City - in which there are only arab residents - smashing shops and cars in the area. Israeli Police closed off the area, after which clashes erupted. Police used live ammunition and tear gas, resulting in a number of injuries, including one Palestinian shot in the mouth with live ammunition.
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