Settlers Injure Five People in Attack on Olive-pickers
International Solidarity Movement | 28.10.2002 11:51
Five people were injured Sunday, when settlers from Itamar attacked peace
activists and Palestinian olive-pickers from the nearby village of Yinon.
In what appeared to be a response to the suicide bombing in Ariel, a group
of armed settlers left the settlement of Itamar and headed toward an olive
grove, where local residents, aided by peace activists from Israel and the
United States, were harvesting the crop of olives
activists and Palestinian olive-pickers from the nearby village of Yinon.
In what appeared to be a response to the suicide bombing in Ariel, a group
of armed settlers left the settlement of Itamar and headed toward an olive
grove, where local residents, aided by peace activists from Israel and the
United States, were harvesting the crop of olives
By Arnon Regular, Ha'aretz Correspondent, Ha'aretz Service and Agencies
Five people were injured Sunday, when settlers from Itamar attacked peace
activists and Palestinian olive-pickers from the nearby village of Yinon.
In what appeared to be a response to the suicide bombing in Ariel, a group
of armed settlers left the settlement of Itamar and headed toward an olive
grove, where local residents, aided by peace activists from Israel and the
United States, were harvesting the crop of olives.
The settlers, numbering between five and seven, pelted the olive-pickers
and activists with stones, and beat them using their guns. The injured
were taken to a private clinic in the nearby village of Akraba.
A Palestinian couple and their two children and four activists were
treated in hospital for injuries including deep cuts and bruises, Yanoun
Mayor Abdel Atif Isbeih said.
A statement issued by the International Solidarity Movement peace group
said James Deleplain, a 74-year-old American, had a possible broken rib
and Mary Hughes-Thompson, 68, a dual American-British citizen, may have
had both arms broken.
Rabbi Arik Ascherman, executive director of Rabbis for Human Rights, said
the settlers had "exploited" the Ariel blast as a pretext to resume
violence to ruin Yanoun's farmers financially and drive them out.
Security forces did not arrive on the scene to investigate.
On Friday, a settler from the settlement of Eli fired shots over the heads
of Palestinian olive pickers and peace activists, on the outskirts of the
West Bank village of Issawiya.
The settler, who was being questioned by police over the incident, said
that he fired the shots after seeing a Palestinian man, accompanied by a
left-wing activist who was helping to pick the village's crop of olives,
approach the perimeter fence around Eli.
The activists and the settlers have both filed complaints against each
other, but a preliminary police investigation suggests that the olive
pickers were within the boundaries of the grove, in an area where picking
is permitted.
Last week, dozens of settlers attacked West Bank villagers and prevented
them from picking their olives by firing guns in the air and toward the
Palestinians and dozens of peace activists who had thronged to support
them.
Five people were injured Sunday, when settlers from Itamar attacked peace
activists and Palestinian olive-pickers from the nearby village of Yinon.
In what appeared to be a response to the suicide bombing in Ariel, a group
of armed settlers left the settlement of Itamar and headed toward an olive
grove, where local residents, aided by peace activists from Israel and the
United States, were harvesting the crop of olives.
The settlers, numbering between five and seven, pelted the olive-pickers
and activists with stones, and beat them using their guns. The injured
were taken to a private clinic in the nearby village of Akraba.
A Palestinian couple and their two children and four activists were
treated in hospital for injuries including deep cuts and bruises, Yanoun
Mayor Abdel Atif Isbeih said.
A statement issued by the International Solidarity Movement peace group
said James Deleplain, a 74-year-old American, had a possible broken rib
and Mary Hughes-Thompson, 68, a dual American-British citizen, may have
had both arms broken.
Rabbi Arik Ascherman, executive director of Rabbis for Human Rights, said
the settlers had "exploited" the Ariel blast as a pretext to resume
violence to ruin Yanoun's farmers financially and drive them out.
Security forces did not arrive on the scene to investigate.
On Friday, a settler from the settlement of Eli fired shots over the heads
of Palestinian olive pickers and peace activists, on the outskirts of the
West Bank village of Issawiya.
The settler, who was being questioned by police over the incident, said
that he fired the shots after seeing a Palestinian man, accompanied by a
left-wing activist who was helping to pick the village's crop of olives,
approach the perimeter fence around Eli.
The activists and the settlers have both filed complaints against each
other, but a preliminary police investigation suggests that the olive
pickers were within the boundaries of the grove, in an area where picking
is permitted.
Last week, dozens of settlers attacked West Bank villagers and prevented
them from picking their olives by firing guns in the air and toward the
Palestinians and dozens of peace activists who had thronged to support
them.
International Solidarity Movement
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