Sunday, March 20, 2005 The Jerusalem Post
Hebron settlers stepping up attacks
By YAAKOV KATZ
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1111288727276&p=1078027574097


Settler attacks on Palestinians in Hebron are on the rise and are 
expected to only escalate as the evacuation from the Gaza Strip draws 
closer, a senior police officer warned Sunday.

"The settlers have already declared they intend to create disturbances 
and attack Palestinians to try and draw police away from Gaza," the 
officer said. "They have their own agenda and nothing can stop them 
including the police or the courts system."

Police in Hebron have their hands full after the number of settler 
attacks on Palestinians in recent weeks has drastically increased. On 
Thursday, an 18-year-old settler from Kiryat Arba attacked a 17-year-old 
Palestinian in the Machpela Cave. A day earlier, a group of settlers 
brought down the roof of a Palestinian home near Herbon's Avraham Avinu 
Jewish neighborhood. One policeman was injured in the attack.

In an effort to put the brakes on the recent escalation in the attacks, 
police said they were using all available means to prevent contact 
between the settlers and their Palestinian neighbors. Police also said 
they use intelligence to ascertain where and when the next attack will 
happen to hopefully prevent it from occurring.

Calling the recent attacks in Hebron "severe," police said the incidents 
were unique since they were mostly perpetrated by minors who are immune 
to criminal charges. There is no doubt however, they said, the children 
were directed by adults who ordered them to perpetrate the attacks.

"Our hands out tied," the officer said. "We come and stop the attacks 
after they happen but even so the children have some great achievements 
under their belts."

The Hebron settlers, police said, are deterred by nothing and repeatedly 
attack security forces which show up to stop an attack.

"When soldiers and police try to enforce the law and stop the settler 
attacks they become vulnerable to the attacks as well and have things 
thrown at them," the officer said.

The courts, police said, were also responsible for the recent increase 
in the attacks. The punishments are too low and are essentially 
ineffective in deterring and preventing settlers from attacking 
Palestinians in the future.

"The courts need to do very quickly change their approach," the officer 
said. "The process is too long and once it finishes it is ineffective. 
If the people would receive lengthier sentences then over the years the 
number of attacks would decrease."

Spokesman for the Hebron Jewish community David Wilder admitted that 
tension between the settlers, police and the Palestinians was on the 
high side but rejected claims that settlers have stepped up the number 
of attacks against Palestinians.

"I am not aware of attacks by Jews on Palestinians and as far as I know 
it hasn't happened," Wilder said. "If there has been an increase in 
Hebron then it was in Palestinian attacks against Jews."

Regarding police accusations that settlers send children to perpetrate 
the attacks since they cannot be charged, Wilder said, "the children are 
not sent by anyone but rather they know exactly what is going on and 
sometimes they even get upset at us since they think we don't do enough 
and they go and do things on their own."

Meanwhile Sunday, four settlers were arrested by police after they 
allegedly attacked a group of Palestinian farmers working in a field 
near Nablus.