United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - December 23, 2008 - Back to Resources Page

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On 16 November, after a protracted legal battle, the Israeli High Court of Justice ruled that Israeli settlers must leave the Al Rajabi House settlement in the Israeli-controlled area of Hebron (H2). The HCJ declared that the State of Israel will be named temporary custodian of the property until a separate ruling on the ownership is issued. On 4 December 2008, Israeli security forces evacuated these settlers by force. During the course of the evacuation, clashes took place between Israeli settlers and Israeli security forces, causing injuries to both sides.

In the aftermath of the eviction, violence continued in Hebron city. Groups of settlers threw stones at Palestinian houses and set fire to vehicles, agricultural fields, houses and the contents of one mosque. Settlers also attempted to force entry into Palestinian homes. In the hours following the eviction, Israeli settlers injured six Palestinians, including two with live ammunition. In spite of IDF efforts, settler attacks were difficult to contain. In areas, clashes erupted between Israeli settlers, Palestinians and the IDF. Some Israeli settlers were injured as a result. Additional settlers attempted to enter Hebron by various routes to assist those already in the city. With a few exceptions, they were prevented from doing so by the IDF.

Settler violence quickly spread to other West Bank areas in protest of the evacuation: groups of settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles in more than 12 locations on the day of the evacuation and attacked Palestinian communities, setting fire to Palestinian property and land, cutting down olive trees, slashing vehicle tires and vandalizing other property. The IDF responded by staffing checkpoints and placing jeeps at strategic points to prevent settlers from entering Palestinian communities.

Settler actions during and after the Al Rajabi house evacuation highlight trends in settler behavior identified through OCHA’s monitoring of settler-related activity in the West Bank. As this Special Focus indicates, settler violence is a regular occurrence, targeting primarily Palestinian civilians and their property, but also IDF soldiers.

To download the full report please click below:

Attachment	Size
ocha_opt_settler_vilonce_special_focus_2008_12_18.pdf	1.71 MB

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United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - December 23, 2008 - Back to Resources Page