Details of seizing the apartment of Jihad Sarhan by Ateret Cohanim…injuries and arrests
Dozens of young men from Silwan attempted to confront the settlers of Ateret Cohanim and prevent them from taking over and seizing the apartment of the late Jihad Sarhan in the “Middle Neighborhood” in Batn Al-Hawa. The young men were able to force the settlers who broke into the apartment using ropes to leave but the occupation forces provided the settlers with full protection enabling them to break into the apartment again and take it over.
Breaking into the apartment of Jihad Sarhan using ropes
Sarhan’s family explained to Wadi Hilweh Information Center that a group of settlers living in the building of Jamal Sarhan (sold to Ateret Cohanim last week) raided the apartment of Jihad Sarhan using ropes.
The settlers broke into the apartment through the windows of Jamal Sarhan’s building and dropped some furniture. The neighbors heard the noise only to find out that several settlers had already broken into the apartment.
Sarhan’s family added that a group of settler had broken into their uncle’s apartment and were able to reach the area of “Al-Hosh” (courtyard) within minutes; settlers were forced to leave after clashes broke out between the two sides.
The occupation forces outburst the door of Sarhan’s family’s “Hosh”
The family added that large forces including Special Forces outburst the main door of the apartment which had been closed for a while and provided the settlers with full protection to seize the apartment under the pretext of having an order from the Israeli court; note that the apartment has been empty for the last three years.
Arrests, clashes and the injury of 21 young men
The Information Center added that violent clashes and altercations using hands broke out in the “Hosh” between the forces and settlers on one side and the young men who attempted to confront the take-over process on another. During the clashes, the forces severely beat the young men with the butts of their guns and batons, and fired tear-gas and sound grenades in addition to rubber bullets.
Eight members of Sarhan family and one young man were injured with rubber bullets in the face, back and limbs. They also suffered several bruises due to being beat up with the butts of guns on their heads.
After seizing and taking over the apartment, the forces raided the house of Ahmad Sarhan and precisely searched it. They arrested the 16-year old Maher Samer Sarhan and the 22-year old Samah Sarhan. In the morning hours, the forces raided the house Mohammad Maher Sarhan and Ali Sarhan in provocative way.
Clashes spread to the neighborhoods of Batn Al-Hawa and Bi’er Ayoub and Al-Ein Street where 13 young men were injured by rubber bullets and shrapnel of sound grenades. Also, dozens of locals suffocated during the clashes due to random firing of tear gas by the occupation forces.
The center explained that the apartment is adjacent to the building of Jamal Sarhan that was sold to the settlers last Thursday and it is possible that the apartment of Jihad Sarhan was part of the deal done by Jamal.
Eight settlement outposts in the neighborhood of Batn Al-Hawa
The number of settlement outposts in the Middle Neighborhood increased to 8 where all of them were sold by their owners. The first was taken over in 2005 (Bet Yonatan), the second is House of Honey and three buildings were seized last year (Qawasmi and Rajabi), three apartments owned by Abu Nab family were seized this year as well as Jamal Sarhan’s building and Jihad Sarhan’s apartment.
