Settlers Terror in Silwan - Shooting Unarmed Residents

September 16, 2009

On September 11, 2009, a Jewish settler provoked and threatened local residents in Wadi Hilwa neighborhood, using his army M16 weapon, but wearing civilian clothes as he was on leave.

The settler arrived at the entrance of the so-called visitors center of the City of David settlement, where he intimidated a child and beat him. When passersby tried to stop him he attacked other children and hit Ali Ahmed Al-Qaraeen, 10 years old. The father, Ahmed Al-Qarain, approached the settler about beating his son, and the settler pointed his weapon to Ahmed and shot him directly in his upper thigh. Ahmed fell on the ground and the settler shot him again in the left knee. The settler also shot Amir Salman Al-Frukh, 13 years old.

 

Border police soldiers gathered in the village after the incident

Since the ambulance was delayed, one of the residents transferred the wounded with his private vehicle. However, after several hundreds of meters a border police vehicle blocked his way, and held him back, while the wounded were losing blood. A police officer released the driver, but again after a few meters another border police soldier stopped the private car and delayed the driver. Eventually, thanks to some pressure by the gathering crowd, they released him.

This incident was another provocation against the Palestinians of East Jerusalem who are dismayed by the actions of the border police, which always accuse them and treat them as criminals and outlaws.

 

Police and army at the crime scene

The next day, the police released the settler, while the investigators charged Ahmed for attacking a soldier. However, the photos demonstrate that Ahmed did not attack the settler, and that the settler was not wearing military uniform.

It is obvious that the settler who is a soldier in the Israeli army knew very well that he could act violently using his weapon. We are concerned that the police's indifference and disinterest in this matter encourage these settlers to commit crimes against us, and create a new reality in Silwan similar to that in Hebron.

 

Police and army at the crime scene

We, the residents, the establishments, and the committees of Silwan, condemn this cowardice terrorist action, and demand the police of Israel to review its ways of dealing with the settlers' behavior who are carrying the ideology of displacing the residents by all means. We inform you that these manners will not turn us away from hanging on to our land and roots. We also hanging on to moral values although the settlers are determined to commit crimes with the silence and the continuous accusation of the Palestinians residents.

Residents of Silwan and all of its committees