B'Tselem | The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories
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Dec 29, 2011
Settler violence against Palestinians and their property, December 2011In December, B'Tselem documented ten cases of settler violence against Palestinians or Palestinian property in the West Bank. The recent wave of violence results from a longstanding policy of lax law enforcement in cases of settler violence against Palestinians. The Israeli authorities must take action to apprehend and prosecute lawbreakers, while safeguarding the suspects' rights to due process.
A Hebrew slogan with the name of a settlement outpost sprayed on a wall of the mosque in the village of Burka, Photo: Iyad Hadad, B'Tselem.
Related topics: Violence by settlersRelated media: Photos | Videos
Dec 27, 2011
A New Year's Greeting from B'Tselem's Executive DirectorJessica Montell reviews B'Tselem's accomplishments and the broader human rights context over the past year, and invites you to join our efforts on behalf of human rights
Related media: Videos
Dec 18, 2011
B'Tselem researchers report from the field on YnetFollowing the public outrage regarding settler violence against soldiers, B'Tselem’s field researchers describe the daily settler violence Palestinians have suffered for years, which the law-enforcement authorities have met with tacit consent.
Image from video footage: Settlers attack Palestinians in Susiya, June 2008. Related topics: Violence by settlersRelated media: Photos | Videos
Dec 22, 2011
Video: Border policeman in Hebron aims loaded weapon and threatens childOn 26 November 2011, a volunteer in B'Tselem’s camera project filmed a border policeman aim a loaded weapon at the photographer’s 13-year-old son. The family related that Border policemen also harassed the boys, who were playing across from their house and beat one of them. B'Tselem demanded that the authorities conduct an immediate investigation.
Image from the video footage. Related topics: Hebron city center, Beating & abuseRelated media: Photos | Videos
Dec 21, 2011
The Authority Already Exists – What’s Needed Is a Willingness to ActReports in the Israeli media in recent days claim that the security forces will soon be given new powers to combat settler violence. According to the reports, soldiers will be authorized to detain and arrest Israelis in the Occupied Territories. The reports are misleading. Israeli soldiers stationed in the West Bank are already authorized to detain Israeli citizens, if it is suspected that they have committed or are about to commit a criminal offense.
April 2011: Settler violence in the presence of soldiers. Photo: B'Tselem video. Related topics: Violence by settlersRelated media: Photos | Videos
Dec 14, 2011
Declaring extreme rightwing activists as terrorist organization is illegitimate way to deal with settler violenceIn response to media reports that the government is considering declaring extreme rightwing Israeli activists as a terrorist organization, B'Tselem states that this is an illegitimate way to deal with the phenomenon of violence by Israeli citizens in the Occupied Territories. Such violence must be dealt with through the criminal justice system. The recent violence toward the military results from of Israel's lax law-enforcement toward settlers who harm Palestinians and their property.
Settlers attack Palestinians in Susiya, June 2008. Despite video footage of the incident, the file was closed with no charges pressed.
Related topics: Violence by settlersRelated media: Photos | Videos
Dec 13, 2011
Military court partially acquits Palestinian due to forced confessionOn 30 Nov. '11, the military court in Ofer ruled that a confession given by Ayman Hamidah during an ISA (Shabak) interrogation was inadmissible, since it had not been given willingly. In an unusual step, the court acquitted Hamidah of the charges that were based solely on the confession. In fact, the interrogation methods that Hamidah described have been used against hundreds of Palestinians, and are classified in international law as torture or maltreatment, which are absolutely prohibited.
Illustration: Ishai Mishory.Related topics: Torture & abuse under interrogation, Detainees & prisonersRelated media: Photos | Videos
Oct 10, 2011
Israel plans to expel Bedouin communities from Area C The Civil Administration has announced a plan to "relocate" the 27,000 Bedouins living in Area C in the West Bank. In Jan. 2012, some 2,300 Bedouins will be forcibly transferred to a site near the Abu Dis refuse dump, east of Jerusalem, in blatant contravention of international law, which prohibits the forced transfer of protected persons. The expulsion will advance the splitting up of the West Bank by enabling expansion of the Ma'ale Adummim settlement, exacerbating the injustice.
A Bedouin community near the Adummim settlement bloc. Photo: activestills.orgRelated topics: Settlements & land, Restriction of movement, Planning & building, Jordan Valley, DeportationRelated media: Photos | Videos