Hamas spokesman Hazem Qasem has said that the recent report published by Haaretz newspaper about Jewish settlers’ involvement with the Israeli occupation forces in the killing of 11 Palestinians in the West Bank last May confirmed that every member of the “Zionist community” is party to the aggression against the Palestinian people.
“In addition to their involvement in stealing the Palestinian land those settlers are the spearhead of the Zionist project and they must be fought and expelled from every inch of our Palestinian land” spokesman Qasem added in a press release on Saturday.
According to Haaretz’ report armed settlers were filmed last May by human rights group B’Tselem shooting at Palestinians who did not pose any danger to them even as soldiers stood by and spoke with them.
“They were part of a group that joined soldiers in clashes in Palestinian towns in the West Bank on May 14 during hostilities between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. In video clips from two villages a civilian and a masked person wearing army pants were caught on film firing toward Palestinians. Two Palestinians were killed in the violence but it is unclear which shooters were responsible.”
“The videos were published first on the Local Call website the Hebrew edition of +972 Magazine” Haaretz pointed out.
“One video shows soldiers in the village of Urif near Yitzhar talking to an armed shirtless and masked person wearing army pants after which he shoots a few times toward the Palestinians. The army denied that the unidentified shooter is a member of the force deployed at the scene.”
“The clip was filmed in the eastern part of the village near the school. “It was right in the village near the houses” Haaretz quoted village council head Mazen Shehadeh as saying. He told the newspaper that the incident began when some 30 settlers approached the village followed by six or seven soldiers and began shooting toward the Palestinians.
Shehadeh said villagers threw rocks to “protect the houses.” He added “What could we do when the armed settlers come in our direction?” The masked man who fired at them took his weapon from one of the soldiers and was given more ammunition by the military force to use after he ran out of munition he elaborated.
In the incident Nidal Sfadi 26 was killed and 11 others were injured. Shehadeh asserted the slain young man was shot about 100 meters from the area where the clip was filmed. A few days earlier olive trees were uprooted in the village and solar panels were vandalized he noted.
“Every time there is any incident in the area they come to the village from the direction of Yitzhar and look for revenge” Shehadeh said. Yitzhar’s security coordinator Yitzhak Levy can be seen in pictures captured at the incident but there is no evidence he shot at anyone.”
“In another incident documented that day in the village of Asira al-Qibliya masked people were filmed standing alongside soldiers one of them throwing stones at a Palestinian. One settler with his face exposed runs toward Palestinians standing by houses and shoots at them. Later a Palestinian reportedly Husam Asayrah collapses. Asira al-Qibliya council head Hafez Salah asserted that a soldier shot and killed Asayrah.
At the time the Sicha Mekomit website reported that another Palestinian was shot when soldiers and settlers entered the nearby town of Iskaka according to Haaretz.
“That same day nine Palestinians were killed across the West Bank in clashes with security forces. In one case Isma’il Tubasi of al-Reiha was shot to death.”
“Two Palestinians witnesses told Kan News and Sicha Mekomit that they saw settlers carrying weapons and a hatchet and heard shots but no one witnessed the shooting. Some said Tubasi’s face had signs of cuts (possibly from the hatchet). Tubasi was there with other Palestinians to put out fires which were previously lit by settlers.”
