December 8, 2009 at 9:02 am (Associate Post, Israel, Occupied West Bank, Palestine, Settler Violence, Terrorism)
Judeo-Nazi settlers rampage through West Bank, IOF looks on
Khalid Amayreh in occupied Palestine
| Nazi-minded Jewish settlers continued to rampage throughout the West Bank, terrorizing unprotected Palestinian citizens and vandalizing their property. Settler leaders, mostly rabbis erudite in Jewish law or Halacha, had ruled that it was permissible to attack Palestinians and their property in order to protest token government decisions to freeze Jewish settlement expansion in some parts of the occupied territories. In the West Bank villages of Jourtel Shama’a and Um Salmouna near Bethlehem Jewish settlers carrying automatic rifles on Sunday cut off and then set on fire as many as 50 grown olive trees belonging to Palestinian farmers. The farmers, including owners of the destroyed trees, charged that the Israeli occupation army did nothing to stop the settlers. “The settlers and the occupation army soldiers are the same. The settlers do their dirty work, and the soldiers look on, that is all” said one farmer. “Those who tell you that the settlers are committing their crimes in spite of the army are liars. There is a total tacit coordination between the two sides.” Religious settlers indoctrinated in Jewish supremacy believe that Palestine was given to them by God and are convinced that non-Jews have no right to live in the land unless they convert to Judaism or accept a drastically inferior status as water carriers and wood hewers in the service of Jews. The settlers, who act on religious edicts issued by settlement rabbis, routinely destroy Palestinian olive trees, especially in the vicinity of illegal colonies established on occupied Palestinian land in violation of international law. The settlers hope that the elimination of Palestinian olive groves would force many Palestinians to relocate or even emigrate for good, which would enable the settlers to take over Palestinian land. Many Palestinian families rely on olive oil for their livelihood and economic survival. In the village of Aynabus in the northern West Bank , Jewish settlers on Sunday attacked and vandalized two Arab-owned stores and agricultural machinery. The settlers said they were protesting an earlier decision by the government of Benyamin Netanyahu to freeze the expansion of Jewish-only settlements for ten months. The decision doesn’t cover East Jerusalem nor the vast bulk of settlements and is widely viewed as a public relations maneuver aimed at placating the American administration. Indeed, less than 24 hours after the decision was taken, the Israeli occupation authorities decided to build dozens of settler units and “public buildings” in the West Bank. Some Israeli journalists and columnists have described the decision to freeze settlement expansion as a mere “show” that is being acted out in coordination between the settlers on the one side and the Israeli government and occupation army on the other. The Netanyahu government used the “important step” for Hasbara (propaganda) purposes, arguing that the proverbial ball was now in the Palestinian court and that the Palestinian Authority (PA) had no excuse not to return to the negotiating table. Similarly, Jewish settlers in the heart of al-Khalil hurled stones on Arab worshipers frequenting the Ibrahimi Mosque. Wakf official Zayd Jabari accused the Israeli occupation army of acting as “enabler and protector of Jewish terror against our people.” “The Israeli occupation army tells the world that it is maintaining a presence in this city in order to protect Jews and maintain law and order. But what the army is doing in reality is to enable the settlers to attack Palestinian civilians and sabotage their businesses and property. Another Arab citizen described the settlers as the “head of the snake” and the army as “its tail.” On Saturday, the Israeli occupation army allowed dozens of fanatical settlers to walk through the Jabari neighborhood in what local residents described as a provocative march. In 1994, a Jewish terrorist who had immigrated from the US murdered at least 29 Palestinian worshipers as they were praying at the Ibrahimi Mosque. The settlers openly demand the ethnic cleansing of all non-Jews from occupied Palestine . Observers in occupied Palestine contend Israeli government and army flaccidity have emboldened settlers, encouraging them to carry out more daring attacks on Palestinians. More to the point, the Israeli justice system’s soft-glove approach toward the settlers is also communicating a clear message, namely that the settlers could attack the Palestinians and destroy their property without having to worry about consequences. Palestinian sources have warned that continued attacks and acts of vandalism by Jewish settlers against Palestinian citizens and their property might draw violent reactions. |
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