Home > Rubriques > Languages - International > English > 1500 Israeli Settlers Enter Nablus District, Attacking Homes and Shouting (...)

“Un peuple élu”.... sacrilège et sous escorte armée ! pitoyable spectacle. (ndlr)

1500 Israeli Settlers Enter Nablus District, Attacking Homes and Shouting Racist Slogans

Jeudi, 2 juin 2011 - 5h51 AM

Thursday 2 June 2011

=============================================

Ahmad Jaradat, Alternative Information Center (AIC)

1500 Israeli settlers illegally entered the Nablus-area Joseph’s Tomb on 29 May. Although ostensibly there to pray, numerous settlers screamed racist slogans whilst others attacked nearby homes. Settler attacks in this area have increased of late while the Israeli army continues to provide cover for the settlers and their racist violence.

Despite signed agreements, Israel escorts settlers to the Joseph Tomb area in Nablus without coordinating with the Palestinian Authority

On Sunday night, 29 May, some 1500 Israeli settlers illegally entered the Joseph’s Tomb area in the Nablus district, protected by 50 Israeli military jeeps.

Joseph’s Tomb is a holy place for Muslims, Christians and Jews and is located in Area A. According to the agreement between Palestinian and Israeli authorities, Jewish worshipers are allowed to visit the site only with previous coordination between Palestinian Authority and Israeli security forces. In recent years, however, Israeli settlers have entered this holy site illegally, without Palestinian coordination and permission. The settlers should reach Joseph’s Tomb in order to pray, but often they arrive to attack Palestinian homes and residents in the nearby streets. The Israeli army, which on Sunday provided the settlers with 1500 permits to enter the site, protects the settlers even when the latter attack Palestinians, yet another example of the clear cooperation between settlers and soldiers.

This occurred also on Sunday night, when 1500 Jewish worshipers came to Nablus without any coordination with Palestinian authorities. Although Nablus is ostensibly under full Palestinian civil and military control, the Israelis side didn’t coordinate or ask permission from the Palestinian forces but simply informed them that a military unit was entering the area.

During the night, around 50 of these “worshippers” occupied the roof of Joseph’s Tomb, screaming racist slander against Arabs. At the same time, 200 settlers entered in the city of Nablus and attacked several Palestinian homes located near the tomb. Palestinian residents were prevented from leaving their homes to reach a safer area by the Israeli army. Earlier that same evening, Israeli security forces closed all the checkpoints in the Nablus district in order to prevent Palestinians from leaving the city, thus providing yet more coverage for the settlers’ aggression.

Israeli violence in and around the Joseph’s Tomb area has increased over recent months. Jewish settlers enter the site without permission in order to attack Palestinians and their homes. One of the most common targets is Ma’zoz Masri, the nearby secondary girls school. Settlers enter the school in the middle of the night, damaging pipes, computers and trees in the school yard.