(From the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment)
Israeli Settlers Attack Palestinian Homes and Injure a 13 year old Palestinian

 
December 9, 2000 

This morning, more than 80 fully armed settlers from Kiryat Arba and Har Harsina arrived in the Be’qa valley and attempted to seize 5 Palestinian homes. One settler opened fire in the neighborhood, injuring 13 year-old Naji Jabir. He is critical but stable condition at Beit Hadassah hospital with a bullet wound in his stomach.

According to the residents, at 11:00 am this morning, settlers armed with machine guns and pistols arrived in the area, and attacked homes by firing at the houses and throwing stones. An eyewitness to the shooting told LAW that the settler opened fire on the child who was playing outside his home.  Ata Jabir also witnessed this attack and told LAW that Israeli police and military forces were present at the scene, but did not intervene. The home of Ata Jabir’s father also came under attack and settlers destroyed the windows, and uprooted some grape vines and several trees. Settlers also broke all the windows in 11 other homes.

This attack comes on the heels of yesterday’s occupation of Ata Jabir’s home by 50 settlers who arrived with their own furniture and an Israeli flag. The settlers, with the protection of the Israeli military are still occupying Jabir’s home, but according to the Israeli Committee Against Home Demolition, the police have said that they would evacuate the settlers by this evening. At the time of writing no effort has been made by the Israeli forces to remove the settlers.

Palestinian demonstrators took to the streets around the West Bank today but were met with Israeli forces firing live ammunition and rubber coated metal bullets. Thirty-one Palestinians were injured, 2 critically.

In Gaza, Muhammad Salim al Hamaida, 12, died from head injuries he sustained on December 5 in Rafa. His parents were married for 21 years before being able to have Muhammad and he was their only child.

The Israeli security forces continue to violate international humanitarian law by denying Palestinians the protection required by the Fourth Geneva Convention.  LAW calls on the international community to organize immediately an independent international presence protecting the Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Territories.

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Law - The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment is a non-governmental organization dedicated to preserving human rights through legal advocacy.
Law is affiliate to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Fédération Internationale des Ligues de Droits de l’Homme (FIDH), World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) and Member of the Euro- Mediterranean Human Rights Network