B'Tselem to authorities: Deploy to protect Palestinians from expected settler violence

Details
Written by B'Tselem B'Tselem
Published: 04 March 2011 04 March 2011
Hits: 4816 4816

3 March 2011: B'Tselem to authorities: Deploy to protect Palestinians from expected settler violence


Yesterday (3 March '11), B'Tselem wrote to the minister of defense, OC Central Command, and the commander of the Israel Police’s SHAI District requesting their urgent action to ensure that security forces are properly deployed in advance of violence by settlers actions against Palestinians and their property, which is expected to occur today, a “Day of Rage” proclaimed by settlers in reaction to the demolition of structures in the Havat Gilad outpost in the West Bank.




The burnt contents of a house torched in Huwara. Settlers are suspected of the act. Salma a-Deb'I, B'Tselem, 1 March '11

B'Tselem documented four acts of violence committed on the day of the demolitions alone (28 Feb. '11), that, it is suspected, were a response to the demolitions. These incidents included the torching of a house in Huwara, the rolling of burning tires down from the Yitzhar settlement to the Palestinian villages Burin and ‘Einabus, and the shattering of car windows in Hebron.

Settlers roll burning tires from the Yitzhar settlement to the Palestinian villages Burin and 'Einabus below. Footage: B'Tselem camera project, 28 Feb. '11.


In the letter, B'Tselem also noted that, during the demolitions and in the hours that followed, additional forces were deployed in the area and several arrests were made of persons suspected of committing violence. While this deployment is welcome, the fact that settlers still managed to carry out violent acts at a number of locations shows that deployment is needed on a larger scale.

Fair Use Notice
This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml . If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.