Beit Ayn settlers are being supported by the Israeli military, police, and secret service in their campaign to seize land owned by a Palestinian family near
While the settlers claim that the land is their own, the Solaiby family has documentation proving their ownership. However, law enforcers refuse to acknowledge the law and protect Solaiby and his property.
Jabber Abu Solaiby owns 200 dunums (50 acres) of land where the Palestinian
He has filed eight different police reports with the Gush Etzion police concerning the settlers’ destruction of his property and assaults on him. The police have instead told him that he cannot go to his land. Last Friday, the police stopped Solaiby from accessing his land and told him that if he or his wife stepped the land, the settlers would beat him.
Peace activists have also been threatened if they try to help the Solaiby family. Moussa, from Beit Ummar was detained by an Israeli intelligence service (Shabak) agent, beaten, threatened with arrest and told to stay out of the area for one month.
The Shabak agent, who identified himself as Daoud, when accused of helping the settlers and not the legitimate owner, responded, "That is my job." Moussa was then threatened with imprisonment for eighteen days before a judge could decide if he can leave, which is the standard military court procedure for Palestinians.
Hassib Nashashibi, from the
Nashashibi has also confirmed that although there is no official documentation forbidding Solaiby or anyone else from being on his property, the army, police, and secret service prevent people from doing so.
