A Voice for the Voiceless

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

SAMUA, West Bank – Major General Gadi Shamni, the Israeli military commander in the occupied West Bank, said settler violence against Palestinians and Israeli soldiers was on the rise.  On October 2, Shamni gave an interview with Ha’aretz, an Israeli newspaper, where he criticized the increase of violence by Israeli settlers in West Bank.

“There has been a rise in Jewish violence in Judea and Samaria. In the past, only a few dozen individuals took part in such activity, but today that number has grown into the hundreds. That’s a very significant change. These hundreds are engaged in conspiratorial actions against Palestinians and the security forces. It’s a very grave phenomenon,” said Shamni.  He added that the radical behavior among right-wing extremists has grown in light of “the backing of part of the leadership, both rabbinical and public, whether in explicit statements or tacitly.”

A recent UN report recorded 222 acts of settler violence in the first half of 2008 compared with 291 in all of 2007.  Such acts include a September 13 attack by a large group of settlers in the village of Asira al-Qibliya.  During the attack settler hurled stones, firedshots and vandalized property.  Three Palestinians were said to be shot and wounded.  Settlers said that the act was in response to an earlier stabbing of an Israeli boy by a Palestinian.

Also in September, an attempt by soldiers to confiscate construction material at an unauthorized outpost ended in a violent confrontation.   One Israeli army officer suffered a broken hand.  A second was bitten by a dog handled by a settler.  Also, in Hebron, an officer was attacked after trying to prevent Jewish children from hurling stones at Palestinians.

In addition, left-wing Israelis have become targets.  On September 25, Ze’ev Sternhell, an outspoken critic of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, was injured when a pipe bomb exploded outside his front door.  In the investigation following the attack, police found a leaflet offering a one million shekel reward to anyone who kills a member of Peace Now, an Israeli anti-settlement organization.

Sarit Michaeli, a spokesman for B’Tselem, said the recent attention to settler violence is the result of the fact that Israeli security forces are becoming targets of attacks.  “The problem traditionally has been that the army often washes its hands of law enforcement with the settlers, or even assists them. We hear commanders say that it is their job to fight Palestinian terror, not to deal with settler violence. That understanding of their responsibilities contradicts international law. As an occupying force, they must protect the safety and welfare of the Palestinian population.”

In response to the increase in settler violence, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has urged tougher penalties for settlers who attack Palestinian property.  However, the vast majority of attacks on Palestinians go unreported.  In addition, human rights group Yesh Din stated that less than one in 10 reported attacks on Palestinians leads to an indictment and most reported attacks end in acquittals.

In related news, prominent settler leader, Daniela Weiss, was detained on October 2 for attacking police officers near the settlement of Kedumim, of which she is local council head.  The confrontation followed an evacuation of Shvut Ami, an illegal West Bank outpost, by a combined force of police and the Israel Defense Forces.  According to witnesses, shortly after the outpost was evacuated, activists came to the area and confronted the police.  During the clashes, a Palestinian-owned olive grove was set on fire.

For more information, please see:

Chicago Tribune – West Bank on Edge as Young Radicals Settle In – 4 October 2008

The Electronic Intifada – Israel’s Army and Settlers Fall Out – 3 October 2008

Telegraph – Jewish Terrorism Threatens Israel – 3 October 2008

AFP – Israeli Commander Says Settler Violence Rising – 2 October 2008

Ha’aretz – IDF West Bank Commander: Rightist Violence Encouraged by Settler Leaders – 2 October 2008

Ha’aretz – Settler Leader Detained After Clashing with Police During Outpost Evacuation – 2 October 2008

Ma’an News Agency – Israel: Settler Attacks on Palestinians, Israeli Soldiers Increasing – 2 October 2008

By Lauren Mellinger
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

ISTANBUL, Turkey – On October 5, Turkey launched air strikes against Kurdish rebel bases in northern Iraq.  The air strikes were in response to a PKK cross-border ambush on October 3, marking the deadliest PKK strike against the Turkish military this year.

On October 3, members of the PKK raided an army outpost in southeast Turkey along the Iraqi border.  The ensuing fighting resulted in the death of 17 Turkish soldiers, with 20 wounded.

During the October 5 air strikes, launched in retaliation to the recent PKK attack, Turkish fighter jets fired artillery at two rebel groups in the Avasin Basyan region in northern Iraq.  Later that day, Turkish planes fired on PKK hideouts in the Buzul mountains in southeast Turkey, near the location of the PKK’s attack on October 3.  At press time the parties had not released the number of PKK casualties.

The October 3 ambush against Turkish troops came just two days before the Turkish parliament was to vote to extend the governments mandate for cross-border military strikes in northern Iraq.  Under the current mandate authorized one year ago, the Turkish military carried out several air strikes and ground attacks against PKK bases, resulting in the deaths of scores of PKK members.  The current mandate is set to expire on October 17.

While attending a funeral for one of the soldiers killed in Friday’s PKK attack, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated “There are measures to be taken against the (PKK) hideouts.  We are expecting positive action on the ground.”  Senior government officials agreed to meet this week to discuss taking further measures against the PKK.

The Turkish government demands that Iraq do more to diminish PKK capabilities, including denying the PKK infrastructure capabilities, such as roads and access to hospitals.  The government estimates that some 2,000 PKK members are currently based in northern Iraq, from where they stage attacks, mainly targeting the Turkish military.

The Prime Minister and the military have vowed to increase operations to end the PKK’s ability to launch cross-border attacks against Turkey.  In addition, they have rejected suggestions to negotiate with PKK leadership.  According to Erdogan, Turkey “will now conduct its campaign against terrorism even more decisively.”

However, Erdogan announced plans to invest up to $12 billion in southeast Turkey and grant cultural rights to the Kurds, with the goal of diminishing support for the PKK among the Kurdish population.  In the past, the government made similar promises, yet fell short of implementing them.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Turkish Jets Hit Kurdish Rebels in Iraq, Government Mulls Steps – 6 October 2008

Al Jazeera – Turkey Bombs PKK Bases in Iraq – 6 October 2008

CNN – Turkish Airstrikes Target Kurdish Rebels – 6 October 2008

Deutsche Welle – Turkey Steps Up New Campaign Against PKK in Northern Iraq

The Washington Post – Retaliatory Turkish Airstrikes Target Kurdish Rebels in Iraq – 6 October 2008

AFP –Turkey Slams Iraqi Kurds After Rebel Attack Kills 15 Soldiers – 5 October 2008

Hurriyet – Turkey’s PM Erdogan Calls on Action From N. Iraq Over PKK – 5 October 2008

Reuters – Pressure on Turkey to Crush PKK May Hurt U.S., EU Ties – 5 October 2008

The Washington Post – Turkey Launches Airstrikes Against Kurdish Rebels– 5 October 2008