RECENT TRENDS IN WEST BANK VIOLENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001265 SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR SHAPIRO/KUMAR; JOINT STAFF FOR LTGEN SELVA E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR PHUM IS KWBG KPAL PTER SUBJECT: RECENT TRENDS IN WEST BANK VIOLENCE REF: JERUSALEM 2197 Classified By: DPO Greg Marchese, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. While levels of Israeli-Palestinian violence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are down this year, the first half of 2009 saw a 44 percent increase in incidents of Israeli settler violence against Palestinians or Palestinian property, and a doubling of the number of Palestinians injured by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) personnel during or in connection with settler violence. Israeli activists monitoring settler activity in the West Bank report that they face increased harassment and scrutiny. End summary. Fewer Palestinians Injured in First Six Months of 2009 -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),the number of Palestinians injured in Israeli-Palestinian violence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the first six months of 2009 is down approximately 25 percent compared with the second half of 2008. This is largely due to a significant reduction (50 percent) in the number of Palestinians injured during Israeli patrols and search operations, and a drop in the number injured in direct attacks by Israeli settlers (72 Palestinians in the first half of 2009 versus 117 in the last half of 2008). ¶3. (U) The same time period saw a 37 percent increase in the number of Palestinians injured at or near checkpoints, according to OCHA. In addition, the number of Palestinians injured by the IDF during or in connection with incidents of settler violence more than doubled. Higher Levels of Settler Violence Than Early 2008 -------------- -------------- ¶4. (U) According to the Palestinian Monitoring Group (PMG), incidents of settler violence against Palestinians in the first five months of 2009 are up 44 percent in comparison with the first five months of 2008 (256 incidents in January - May 2009, as compared with 178 incidents in January - May 2008). PMG's definition of "incidents of settler violence" includes physical attacks against Palestinians and violence targeting Palestinian property or agricultural land. H2 Area of Hebron Calm in 2009 -------------- ¶5. (C) Fanny Krug of OCHA's Hebron office told PolOff on July 21 that the traditionally-volatile H2 area of Hebron was tense but calm in the first six months of 2009. Krug said that, despite sporadic instances of settlers targeting individual Palestinians, there have been no major confrontations in H2 since the violent evacuation of an estimated 250 settlers from "Beit Hashalom" in December 2008 (Ref A). Krug predicted, however, that any GOI attempts to evacuate "Hazon David," an outpost in H2 currently used as a synagogue, would likely spark a violent reaction from settlers. Krug confirmed that Hazon David is on the GOI list of outposts identified for dismantling. NGO Activists Face Increased Harassment by Settlers -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) Jessica Montell of the Israeli human rights NGO B'Tselem told PolOff on July 21 that NGO activists monitoring settler violence in the West Bank face increased harassment. Montell also said that B'Tselem volunteers and field officers have been subject to temporary detentions and harassment by the IDF in the West Bank. ¶7. (C) Hagit Ofran of Peace Now's Settlement Watch Project told PolOff that Peace Now staff and volunteers are regularly harassed and attacked by settlers when they enter West Bank settlements to document construction. (Note: Ofran was assaulted by a settler in early July in Dolev settlement; the assault was captured on video and appears on the organization's website. End Note.) Ofran claimed that the success of a Peace Now petition to the Israeli High Court of Justice, which forced the evacuation of the Amona outpost in February 2006, marked a turning point in settler attitudes toward NGO monitors. "Before we just shouted," she said. "Now we are a threat." WALLES