An Israeli Settler Harasses a Palestinian Family in Hebron

Thursday January 11, 2007 10:48 by Rami Al-Meghari - IMEMC & Agencies

Efrat Alkobi, an Israeli settler woman in the West Bank city of Hebron was documented assaulting the local Palestinian family of Abu Ayisha by the Israeli Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (BE’TSELEM).

Israeli Settlers

Efrat Alkobi, an Israeli settler woman in the West Bank city of Hebron was documented assaulting the local Palestinian family of Abu Ayisha by the Israeli Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (BE’TSELEM).

Alkobi was summoned by the Israeli police for questioning following footage showing her harassing the Abu Ayisha family, by shouting, cursing and describing them as animals. The said settler lives in the settlement of Adamot Yishai, just close to the Abu Ayisha’s house in the Tel Al-Rumeida neighborhood of Hebron. Settlers systamtically moved to Tel Rumeida neighborhood few years ago, with the protection and supervision of the Israeli Army.

Israeli settlers' harassment against the residents of this Palestinian neighborhood has forced many of them to abandon their homes to avoid daily rock-throwing, window breaking and verbal and physical harassments. The footage of Abu Ayisha, which was released by BE’TSELEM, showed a female settler approaching the family’s house and screaming at 18-year-old female Rajah Abu Ayisha “Get back in your cage”. The settler also called Rajah a prostitute in Arabic.

Rajah was quoted as saying “our house is like a real cage; it is surrounded by bars from all directions, even in the entrance. My grandfather placed the bars after the settlers broke the windows in the house”. Rajah said that the neighbors left the neighborhood following the outbreak of the Intifada in 2000, then the settlers took control of the houses. The Palestinian girl maintained that once she was injured by a stone thrown by settler children, noting that soldiers operating in Hebron sometimes yell at the settler children to stop throwing rocks, dirty water or food leftovers at Palestinian residetns. Children never listen to the soldiers who take no action more than yelling.

There are approximately 400 Israeli settlers in the West Bank city of Hebron, occupying large areas of Palestinian-owned lands and constituting a persistent source of friction with the adjacent Palestinian inhabitants who exceed 130 thousand, despite the presence of international observers.

hebron | israeli attacks | news report rami at imemc dot org