Israeli settlers leave the park they invaded in Beit Sahour

The Israeli settlers left the local park at Esh Ghrab in Beit Sahour town near the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem on Tuesday morning.

Settlers arrive at Esh Ghrab on Monday – Photo By IMEMC’s Ghassan Bannoura

According to eyewitnesses the settlers left early on Tuesday morning leaving behind racist graffiti and Israeli flags.

On Monday evening At least 150 Israeli settlers invaded the local park at Esh Ghrab and laid claim to the place, then held a barbecue at the location.

Armed settlers arrived at the place, which is an evacuated military base owned by people and municipality of Beit Sahour Monday evening and brought with them barbecue grills and said they want to camp there for few days.

As IMEMC reporter Ghassan Bannoura and photographer Rami Rishmawi approached the site, settlers started pushing them away although it was obvious that they are journalists. According to Bannoura, Israeli soldiers who accompanied the settlers intervened later and stopped the settlers' assault.

This is not the first time the settlers attempt to colonize this site. The first time they came on May 15, 2008 while Palestinians were commemorating the 60 anniversary of the 1948 Nakba when around 800 thousand Palestinians were expelled from their land and the state of Israel was incepted.

Esh Ghrab was a Jordanian military base occupied by the Israeli army since 1967. In 2006, the army decided to evacuate the base unilaterally.

The municipality of Beit Sahour immediately started to renovate the site and built gardens and play fields for Palestinian children to play. Additionally, there is a plan for a hospital to be built on the site as well, and the corner stone is already placed.

At the nearby municipality gardens international and locals gathered for the last night of a local festival called Al Faqous Fest. The international supporters stayed at the location all night to protect the local community and the gardens from the settlers who have gathered nearby.

Settlers are attempting to establish a settlement at the location of the military base they are calling it Shadima. The Mayor of Beit Sahour said that the municipality will continue its plans to built a hospital their, local NGOs and international supporters told IMEMC that they will continue their actions to stop the settlement from being built.

If this settlement is constructed the town of Beit Shaour will be surrounded by the wall and settlements from three sides which will make it impossible fro the town to grow in the future.

Updated from

Israeli settlers invade park in Beit Sahour, assault IMEMC Staff – Monday July 14th 2008 – 21:24

Armed settlers arrived at the place, which is an evacuated military base owned by people and municipality of Beit Sahour Monday evening and brought with them barbecue grills and said they want to camp there for few days.

As IMEMC reporter Ghassan Bannoura and photographer Rami Rishmawi approached the site, settlers started pushing them away although it was obvious that they are journalists.

According to Bannoura, Israeli soldiers who accompanied the settlers intervened later and stopped the settlers assault.

This is not the first time the settlers attempt to colonize this site. The first time they came on May 15, 2008 while Palestinians were commemorating the 60 anniversary of the 1948 Nakba when around 800 thousand Palestinians were expelled from their land and the state of Israel was incepted.

Esh Ghrab was a Jordanian military base occupied by the Israeli army since 1967. In 2006, the army decided to evacuate the base unilaterally.

The municipality of Beit Sahour immediately started to renovate the site and built gardens and play fields for Palestinian children to play. Additionally, there is a plan for a hospital to be built on the site as well, and the corner stone is already placed.

At the nearby municipality gardens international and locals gathered for the last night of a local festival called Al Faqous Fest. The internationals along with locals are planning to stay to protect the local community and the gardens from the settlers who have gathered nearby.

Settlers gathered at the old military site at Esh Ghrab on Monday – Photo By IMEMC’s Ghassan Bannoura

Settlers attacking IMEMC staff at Esh Ghrab on Monday – Photo By IMEMC’s Rami Rishmawi.jpg