B'Tselem slams security forces' performance during Hebron riots by Haaretz 11:17am Fri Aug 9 '02 The Israeli human rights group B'Tselem released a report Thursday on what it says was the failure of Israeli security forces to enforce the law on settlers who rioted in the West Bank city of Hebron over three days in late July, following the killing of Elazar Leibowitz, a resident of the divided city who was killed in a shooting attack. (Click http://www.btselem.org/English/Press_Releases/2002/020808.asp for the B'Tselem report.) On the last day of the rioting, a 14-year-old Palestinian girl was killed and her brothers wounded when they tried to rescue her, as Hebron settlers and supporters attending Leibowitz's funeral rampaged through the Arab town, shooting at Palestinian buildings. During the funeral procession for Leibovitz, who was born in the Jewish enclave of Hebron, calls for revenge turned into rock-throwing at Palestinians in the neighborhoods between the Tomb of the Patriarchs and the Jewish cemetery in the town. The B'Tselem report, titled "Standing Idly By: Non-enforcement of the law on settlers," is strongly critical of the performance of IDF and police forces in Hebron from July 26, the day Leibowitz was killed, until July 28, when his funeral was held. "Over the course of three days, settlers carried out a series of violent attacks on the Palestinian residents of Hebron while the latter were shut in their homes because of an IDF-imposed curfew," the report said. "The security forces stood aside, watched the settlers, and chose to do nothing. It is clear that if the violence had been directed toward Israeli citizens and their property inside Israel or in the Occupied Territories, the security forces would have responded differently. During the rioting a teenage Palestinian girl was shot and killed and a Palestinian boy was stabbed." The report pointed out that the incident took place in Area H2 of Hebron, which is under complete Israeli control and where a large number of troops are permanently stationed. It said it was "unreasonable that they did not see the injury that Palestinians suffered over a period of three days." The report said that Israel "has the duty to protect Palestinians living there" and that the current policy, which was evident during the Hebron rioting, "flagrantly violates this duty and gives the settlers a clear signal that Palestinians and Palestinian property can be freely attacked." A police statement contained in a letter to B'Tselem, and included in the report, says that security forces "were prepared to prevent attacks on Palestinians during the funeral, although we did not expect the response to be so rash and severe." It said that police "acted aggressively toward the rioters, five of them were arrested, and others were dispersed by force, using clubs." It also said that the orders for dealing with Palestinians and settlers were identical. A letter from the IDF - also included in the report - said that precautions were taken prior to Leibowitz's funeral, including the deployment of additional security forces. It also said that police arrested several Israelis suspected of taking part in the riot and that it was continuing its investigation. www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.j... add your comments Source file