SETTLER VIOLENCE CONTINUES DURING OLIVE HARVEST

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001918 SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/RAMCHAND/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/20/2018 TAGS: KWBG PHUM ASEC IS PBTS PTER SUBJECT: SETTLER VIOLENCE CONTINUES DURING OLIVE HARVEST REF: JERUSALEM 1908 Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Settlers attacked Palestinians harvesting olives and international activists working with them in a number of West Bank villages October 18-20, according to press and ConGen contacts. The IDF intervened in some cases to stop the attacks, detaining activists and declaring &closed military zones8 to prevent further violence. End summary. SETTLER ATTACK IN HEBRON -------------- ¶2. (C) Breaking the Silence co-founder Yehuda Shaul told PolOff that, on October 18, four settlers attacked several Palestinian families and 20 activists harvesting olives in the Tel Rumedah section of Hebron, injuring one activist and a Palestinian journalist. Shaul said Israeli police from H2 declared the area a closed military zone. Three Israeli activists were arrested and later released after a court hearing. Shaul said the incident was caught on tape and aired on three Israeli network channels. SETTLERS FROM QEDUMIM BEAT INTERNATIONAL ACTIVISTS -------------- ¶3. (C) Zachariah Sadeh of Rabbis for Human Rights confirmed press reports that settlers from Qedumim on October 20 beat Palestinian farmers from Kafr Qaddum and Jit and volunteers protecting them. Head of Kafr Qaddum,s local council Muhammad Shteiwi told press that his family was beaten, then prevented from reaching their groves. Hagit Ofran of Peace Now told PolOff that settler youth living this week in sukkas (temporary structures erected during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot) near Qedumim have been involved in beatings over the last week, in spite of IDF efforts to stop them. She added that the incidents in Qedumim pose the greatest danger since they involve the most aggressive youth. Sadeh said Palestinians living near Qedumim are afraid to visit their groves alone because of the high incidence of settler violence. ADDITIONAL INCIDENTS REPORTED -------------- ¶4. (C) Palestinian security sources reported October 19 that settlers from Mevo Dotan, west of Jenin, badly injured a Palestinian man harvesting olives with his family. They said dozens of settlers threw stones at a family harvesting olives east of Nablus near Elon Moreh, moderately injuring one Palestinian, whose cellular phone they then stole. Head of Rabbis for Human Rights Arik Ascherman said the settlers may have coordinated some of their recent attacks via a text message distribution list. WALLES