Palestinians clash with settlers, Border Police in East Jerusalem
Arab Silwan residents say settlers, taking a shortcut to a spring, tried to break down a mosque gate; settlers: We don't know what happened.
By Liel Kyzer and Nir Hasson Tags: East Jerusalem SilwanArab residents of the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan clashed with Border Police forces early Thursday, setting four cars and two motorcycles on fire and hurling stones at firefighters summoned to the scene.
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Palestinian youths throwing stones at Israeli border police vehicles during clashes in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan on July 27, 2010 |
| Photo by: Reuters |
A Jewish resident of the region, 22, was lightly hurt when a rock was hurled at his head. The Palestinian demonstrators also set fire to trees, trash receptacles, a guard's post and more.
According to the demonstrators, the clashes began when settlers tried to break down a gate leading to a mosque courtyard.
"At three a.m., four settlers arrived and asked to open the gate so they could take a shortcut to a spring," said Mahmoud Karin, a resident of the neighborhood and an employee of the Silwan information center. "One of the [Muslim] worshippers saw them and yelled to them to find out what they were doing and they fled," he said.
Palestinians began hurling rocks at settlers' homes following the incident, and local security personnel began firing shots into the air. During the clash, a settler's car erupted into flames, apparently due to a firebomb. Palestinian vehicles in the area also sustained damage.
The settlers involved in the incident denied the Palestinian allegations, saying that "the story with the gate is completely unfamiliar to us." A settler spokesman said that the clashes had begun Wednesday evening, long before the 3 a.m. incident described by the Palestinians. "We don't know what happened, this area is usually quiet. It is clear to us that this involves a group of extremists, and we have been in contact with many of the residents who clearly didn't want this to happen."
Tensions in Silwan have risen in recent months over Israeli government plans to demolish houses built illegally in the region.
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This is a call to Settlers to flock to E. Jerusalem. E. Jerusalem belongs to Israel. Build, build , build !
This will eventually result in many Palestinians being rounded up and disappearing from E. Jerusalem. Collective punishment? NO , they are all guilty. E. Jerusalem will NOT become another Gaza, nor a haven for Palestinian extremists. One by one every one of these rioters will be arrested and dealt with in the coming days. More Palestinian homes will disappear in E . Jerusalem.
Tear down those palestinian homes - and maybe there will be fewer palestinians around to steal cars over the holidays!
"15 And David longed, and said: 'Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!' 16 And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David; but he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. 17 And he said: 'Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this; shall I drink the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?' therefore he would not drink it. (2 Samuel 23)
and have done it for quite a ling time only now things accelerate and time hascome to get rid of ou fanatic ultra nationalists or it will cost us much more than we are able to stand
The actions of settlers generally, in collusion with many IDF troops is often specifically aimed at subjugating Arabs...and I don't think many of the Israelis I know actually dispute that. The story as portrayed doesn't ring true.
i am not an angry person but i could not help but shout and curse aloud just now with such fury in reaction to yet another timely and provacative extremist Settler disturbance. i am so tired of this minority holding our country back from so much in which to gain, and most importantly, from shalom, the peace of wholeness. But as i calm myself i realize too that this could just be the beginning of Settler extremism in Jerusalem being so close to direct peace talks and most especially if building freeze is extended as (rightful) precondition. If only the majorative Left could stir from its apathy. If only i could direct my frustration and anger to joining frequent peace marches and peace initiatives, holding our politicians accountable and taking our country, our future back. If only... Enough talk. Tomorrow i join weekly East Jerusalem Friday protest to let East Jerusalem, larger Israel, and the world know that there is an alternative to Settler extremism. Adama Meshuga'at.
Tell me when Jerusalem was the Capitol of any Arab country? Keep thinking?
they gave it to you on a dolden platter.
There's a huge difference between the fantasy of the Israeli right wing and reality. Under International Law and in the real world, East Jerusalem is Palestinian and never was, or will be, Israeli. Only West Jerusalem is Israeli. And for the time being, the only itnernationallyy recognized capital of Israel is Tel Aviv.
The settlers are following the example set by Israel. "Ooops, we don't know what happened". This is becoming stale. It is sheer arrogance to think they can break a Mosque gate to take a short cut, and not feel they are provoking the other side. Israel should take these trouble makers back.
Funny, only Haaretz is reporting 'settlers' were trying to take a short cut to a spring. Other online papers report that masked men tried to enter mosque. The other bit that makes no sense is that instead of calling the police, the Muslim worshipers called the local youth (must have been on stand-by). Sounds as if the immediate and violent reaction (at that hour!) was rather planned to happen.
Even the stupidest actions cause stupid overreactions. The Jewish and Muslim residents should meet in a safe environment (school gym), shriek at each other and get it out of their systems.
but it's worth it.being the spearhead and vanguard of israel,its enforcers and hirelings,they send the message loud and clear.they rub the salt in.just in case that message has not been fully understood.still,you can't educate everyone in israel,world jewry,or the USA as examples.
yes he is right....SETTLER EXTREMISTS !!!
this is why settlers shouldn't be in the west bank
I admire the settlers they rock.
They should be expending their energy at work- not staying up all night vandalizing a mosque. Disgusting settler scum need to act like real men.
Part and parcel of the ongoing Arab occupation of Jerusalem.
During the British Mandate, Jews protested and performed acts of terrorism against the occupying power to gain their freedom. Why would you not expect the Pals to do the same against the brutal occupying power of their territory?
It's JEWISH occupation of East Jerusalem.
You may want to learn about International Law.
The land in Israel is Jewish land. The Arabs are the true occupiers. The world body "sadly" supported anti semitisem through out history.
By rioting, these people have violated the terms of their permament residence status. Deportation and annullment of their status is the only just solution. This is the way it is done in most normal democracies like the Us, Canada or Europe. Moshe Feiglin for PM
This did not take place in Israel. It took place in illegally occupied East Jerusalem. The ones that should be deported are the illegal settlers. The 4th Geneva Convention, UNSCR 242 and numerous other UNSCR's makes this crystal clear.
You're right, all settlers living in illegal settlements in East Jerusalem, Palestinian territory, must be deported back to Israel.
Geneva Convention? My ancestors were praying at the Temple in Yerushalyim when the people in Geneva were cave-dwelling cannibals.
So you are suggesting they deport the settlers back to Europe and America
In the United States we do not deport people for "rioting." It's difficult to even be convicted of a crime here for things of this nature because of our constitution's protections of speech. At most you might get a misdemeanor charge and some light supervision/community service. If you destroy property then perhaps you're looking at a fine and some probation. It's possible you could go to jail for a year or so, but that's doubtful. However, US courts apply laws only where there is personal and subject matter jurisdiction over a person and an issue. The US military can't go into Canada and start arresting people for protesting there. That'd just be silly.
No one knows for sure what happenned 3000 years ago anyway.
'The Invention of the Jewish people' by Professor Shlomo Sand of Tel Aviv University. Best seller in Israel ! Quotes : " The idea of the Jews as a single people or race is a myth,a fiction based on Old Testament ' mythistory ' " - " There is no evidence of any Jewish exile, and without exile there can be no right to return ".
You might as well claim the Romans have a right of return. Just because a bunch of religious extremist nuts want to roll the clock back two thousand years is utter nonsense.
Because as everybody knows, the Arabs of East Jerusalem and Silwan in particular have every reason to be happy and no reason whatsoever to pick a fight! So by all means let's give them the extremist-treatment.
ofcourse the settlers dont know what happened... taking the law into their own handsafter stealing land has become an ingrained habit for israelis at large.
Whose swimming pool is this? What kind of swimming pool? // Just a week ago ElAd, the private company of foreign investors excavating and running Ir David, along the police, showed settler leaders and Knesset Members around Silwan. This was to discuss area plans for the future. They did not bother to include representatives of the majority of the residents in that tour, the very people who would be most impacted by those plans which include, of course demolitions. Why did they not bother with the majority of residents? Because they are Arabs. Palestinian Arabs, as it so happens, who were unilaterally annexed to Jerusalem by Israel also without being asked. And of course this tour took place during the Ramadan fast - why not, after all? // Don't say nobody told you. http://www.en.justjlm.org/204
Surely the Arabs can come up with a better lie than that.
what were the settlers doing at the mosque gate at 3 am?
Perhaps they were making a tour and discovering the historical sites of the city ? It was simply a provocation as always it was...
If you can understand English, the settlers asked to open the gate to take a short cut to the swimming pool. Whether they really wanted to swim at 3 am or whether they were drunk or just wanted to create trouble only God knows!
http://wp.me/PDB7k-Y 62 years telling porkies gives someone a head start
The alleged provocation was at 3 am, but they starting rioting several hours before. Now that is clever.
Leave the Palestinian territory; go back to Israel and help build the country. Stop being a nuisance for Israeli citizens and for the international community. Colonialism is out of date.
Newspapers have the unfortunate tendency of using names like settlers without specifying where they live. It makes a very big difference since all Israel is considered disputed land, depending on your beliefs. So who are these settlers? Do they live in Jerusalem like their parents and grandparents? And are they worthy of scorn for having legally bought a home? Will Jews be refused in the future palestinian state?
Settlers are people who chose not to live in Israel and help build the country, but to go and live in occupied territory on stolen property. This fosters no respect. In the Western world, the colonial ear has long been over.