6 hurt in West Bank clashes between Palestinians, settlers
Palestinians hurl stones at American volunteers in a West Bank field; Israeli guard fires back.
By Chaim Levinson Tags: Israel news West Bank PalestiniansFive Israelis were lightly wounded on Tuesday by Palestinian stone-throwers in the West Bank settlement of Har Bracha, after violent clashes broke out in an open field between the two groups.
According to the settlers, a group of American volunteers who were doing agricultural work about one kilometer from the Har Bracha settlement, near Nablus, were attacked by Palestinians from the neighboring village of Arak Burin.
The Palestinians were said to have approached the group and hurled a torrent of stones in their direction, injuring five of them.
An Israeli security guard who was on duty in the area said that he rushed to the area after hearing a commotion, and opened fire in the air until the Palestinians fled.
The Palestinians, however, said that a boy who was herding his sheep in a nearby field was shot in the knee by the security guard and hospitalized in Nablus.
Police and Israel Defense Forces soldiers arrived at the scene and opened an investigation into the incident.
Why Facebook Connect?
Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.
- Latest
- Most Viewed
- Most Rated
- Open all
O ...those are Arabs and Israel must play tootsy with them so the so-called democracy? will not be offended.
"Five Israelis were lightly wounded on Tuesday by Palestinian stone-throwers in the West Bank settlement of Har Bracha, after violent clashes broke out in an open field between the two groups." - Haaretz In the last few days I have read MANY accounts of fights between Palestinians and settlers. These have appeared in sources quite diverse. But those stories did not appear in the English language Israeli press. There was a difference. In those reports all casualties were on the Palestinian side, usually as the IDF showed up and started shooting. This time Israeli Settlers were also hurt, and thus, it became a story to be reported. No nation may make the right decisions if their 'leaders' are allowed to censor what they know.
your loyalties lie. Your entitled to help your fellow Jews. In my heart I wish you'd stay. I hope you're not future Kahanists or Baruch Goldsteins. Salaam/Shalom
The article is not clear- are these Americans aiding settlers? If that's true, when they return to the US they should be thrown into jail.
One kilometer from Har Bracha? So they were working on Palestinian land. If 'volunteers' had started working my land they would have got pretty much the same welcome from me. The people of Arak Burin are feeling very threatened at present as their mosque was burnt down by settlers last December. It's time for settlers to stop acting like latter day Maccabees move into the humanist 21st century. Denise
I have no knowledge of the specific instance you mention, but anyone who reads Haaretz has seen many articles of alleged settler violence. This article is actually a rare counter-balance to the usual anti-settler slant.
The illegal settlers have ready access to PR and media outlets and so we usually only hear their side of the story when there is a confrontation. Recently in Mardamaa, a Palestinian farmer tending his olive trees was badly beaten by Israelis from a nearby settlement and was hospitalised with broken bones in his back. Not a word appeared in the press, as the rural Palestinians have little or no access to the media. Perhaps Haaretz should consider this imbalance when reporting on such incidents.
And it should not have to be by a civilian security guard: It should be by the IDF. And if you disagree, then arm the Jews of Judea and Samaria properly and let them loose on the Arab rioters.
Oh...these Americans are Jewish religious fanatics, so it's OK.