Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., June 11, 2008 Sivan 8, 5768 | | Israel Time: 02:46 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 01:31 10/06/2008 Three Palestinian shepherds tell police: We were attacked by masked settlers in Hebron Hills By Yuval Azoulay and Mijal Grinberg A Palestinian woman, 57, was badly injured and her husband and another relative were battered, in an assault by masked Israelis in the southern Hebron Hills yesterday. The police are investigating whether the Israeli attackers hailed from the West Bank settlement of Susia, as the injured Palestinians claim. The three, Thamem al-Nawaja, 57, her husband Khalil al-Nawaja, 70, and another relative, identified only as Imran, live in an encampment about three kilometers from Susia. They were herding sheep in midday when three settlers residing in the area, as they told an investigaro from the B'Tselem human-rights group, two of them with their faces masked, approached and demanded they leave the area. They refused and the settlers left, they said. Advertisement But not for long, claimed the Palestinians: This time four masked men armed with sticks arrived and began beating them. "I was in the field with my sheep, and masked settlers came and attacked us," Thamem al-Nawaja related yesterday. "They hit me in the face and arm. My husband wanted to protect me and they hit him too. They don't want our sheep grazing there. It's our land they're trying to take." The victims claim to have identified an attacker, by his clothing, as one of the persons who had come earlier. Thamem was badly injured, Khalil and Imran bruised all over. A nearby relative ran to the road to summon help. A passing Israeli army vehicle provided first aid, after which an ambulance evacuated Thamem to Soroka Hospital in Be'er Sheva and the other two to a hospital in Hebron. The three have pressed charges with the Be'er Sheva police. No suspects have been arrested. B'Tselem commented that attacks by settlers on Palestinians in the area are not rare. "Incidents like this happen almost every weekend," the organization said, adding that sometimes the attackers are masked. "Usually the law enforcement authorities are ineffective in deterring the criminals," the organization said. The Judea and Samaria Civil Administration said it would coordinate entry of Thamem's family members into Israel to visit her in hospital. The Yesh Din human rights organization commented that Palestinians have filed six complaints about assault in the last three months, including attacks by settlers and soldiers, an assault on a shepherd boy, stones thrown at another shepherd and children, and gunfire at a herd of sheep. Two of the cases have been closed on the grounds that the perpetrator was unknown. Yesh Din added that the al-Nawaja family was attacked twice before, in 2007, and that the police closed both cases without charges. "The police are not investing their best effort in locating suspects in cases of attacks on Palestinians," Yesh Din stated. The police stated that the Palestinians claim they were attacked by settlers, but given that the attackers had veiled their faces, their identities cannot be elucidated with surety. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Marketing ploy Israeli satellite TV has a new star - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Through her lens Madonna's next project: documentary about the Israeli-Arab conflict.

Read & React Israeli envoy to London: U.K. has become hotbed of anti-Israeli views Responses: 263 Shalit's father: Gilad begs for his life in new letter Responses: 137 Arab towns to hand out 'Nakba' alternative history booklet outside schools Responses: 117 Top MI officer: Hamas fears broad IDF operation in Gaza Responses: 91 More Headlines 23:00 Syria: First the Golan Heights, then direct talks 01:58 Haniyeh advisor: Hamas expects gesture in exchange for Shalit letter 02:01 U.S. Army training Egyptians to find, destroy smuggling tunnels 23:49 Reservists: If we're captured, don't negotiate for our bodies 22:48 Top MI officer: Hamas fears broad IDF operation in Gaza 17:03 Olmert: Next U.S. administration may not be as accommodating 21:57 Madonna's next project: documentary about the Israeli-Arab conflict 02:12 U.S. court rules former Nazi guard should be deported back to Germany 23:44 Likud MK: Israel will no longer fund terror against its own citizens 00:01 UN Secretary General suggests int'l force to man Gaza crossings 22:23 Israeli satellite TV has a new star - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 09:50 Israeli envoy to London: U.K. has become hotbed of radical anti-Israeli views 02:46 Dead Sea is alarmingly drying up, dropped 10 centimeters in May 18:19 N.Y. Jewish group departs from Israeli gov't line, will aid Falashmura Previous Editions Select Day 10 jun 09 jun 08 jun 06 jun 05 jun 04 jun 03 jun 02 jun 01 jun 30 may 29 may 28 may

Special Offers Advertisement Jerusalem of Gold Luxury apartments in Jerusalem's finest location Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Istudy Learn Hebrew in 3 months The Terraces Your Ultimate Coastal Address On Nitza Boulevard, North Netanya Pardes Institute Summer Sessions http://www.pardes.org.il/ Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved