Settlers attack a Palestinian house , international observers in Hebron

Friday January 25, 2008 09:13

by IMEMC News

Israeli settlers attacked on Thursday the house of Shadi Nabeel Sidir, in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, and also attacked members of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH) when they attempted to stop them.

File - Settlers in Hebron

The settlers are from the illegal settlement of Beit Hadassah. They hurled stones at the home of Al Sidir and broke the windows of his kitchen.

Al Sidir stated that he filed a complaint to the Israeli Police but they did not investigation the incident.

He later on contacted members of the TIPH, and they sent some of their observers to his home but the settlers attacked them and hurled stones at them.

The Palestinian Popular (Folk) Committees slammed that attack and stated that there are five illegal settlement outposts in the center of Hebron city.

The settlers repeatedly closed the roads and alleys, especially in the Old City, and barred the residents from using these roads, while the Israeli army, intensively present in the area, never attempted to stop these violations.

Azmi Shiokhy, Secretary-general of the Committees stated that Israeli is ongoing with its illegal settlement activities and continues to avoid implementing its commitments to the Annapolis Summit .

Shiokhy also slammed a recent decision by Jerusalem Municipality to build 7300 home for settlers in five Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem.

He added that the U.S administration must intervene and hold its responsibilities in stopping Israel’s illegal settlement activities , and stated that the Palestinians cannot continue their negotiations with Israel while these violations, invasions and attacks continue.

Furthermore, Shiokhy said that if the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert and his government are serious in the peace talks, they must stop all settlement activities especially since Israel stepped-up its settlement activities after the Annapolis and Paris peace summits.