The Christian Peace Teams (CPT) stationed in the southern West Bank city of Hebron issues a press release on an attack carried by extremist settlers against Palestinian Shepherds in the southern West Bank city of Hebron. The attack was carried out on Saturday morning, January 12, 2008.The attack took place in Al Tuwani in South Hebron Hills, the CPT stated.
The CPT said that settlers of the Havat Ma’on illegal outpost fired six rounds of live ammunition at Palestinian shepherds grazing their sheep in a nearby valley. The Shepherds and international volunteers who were with them moved to lower ground to avoid the settlers gunfire. No one was physically harmed in the attack.
The CPT added that this incident is part of ongoing attacks by the settlers against the shepherds in this area, especially near the village of Maghayir Al Abeed as the shepherds graze their sheep in this area which is also adjacent to the illegal settler outpost.
On Friday, January 11, settlers of the outpost attempted to force the shepherds off the land in an attempt to expand their illegal outpost which is undergoing consistent expansion, the CPT added.
Meanwhile, Israeli soldiers, continuously present in the area, did not attempt to stop these attacks and instead they told the CPT and the Operation Dove group that the shepherds must stay off the land.
Also, on January 12, the settlers fired six rounds of live ammunition at the shepherds who returned to the area to graze. International volunteers were with the shepherds and called the Israeli police.
A police patrol came to the scene and left immediately without any investigation, and when the international volunteers called them back, the police said that they “have betters thing to do”.
The CPT teams also captured on video Israeli soldiers showing their rear –ends to the teams in a show of disrespect to the international volunteers and the Palestinian residents.
The CPT website could be viewed at www.cpt.org
