Israeli forces ransack homes following Friday protests
Reageer (0)23-3-2010
Hebron – Israeli forces ransacked the homes of several anti-wall activists in the southern West Bank overnight Friday, threatening to torture them and their families if they continued organizing protests in Beit Ummar, an official said.
Several days later, on Tuesday, Israeli military representatives confirmed soldiers "acted against individuals suspected of involvement in severe offences, including rock throwing and participation in violent and illegal riots," but noted it "rejects the general claims pertaining to inappropriate offences allegedly committed against Palestinian residents."
Muhammad Awad, spokesman for the Palestine Solidarity Project, said the home of Yousif Abu Mariyya, head of the Popular Committee Against the Wall, was ransacked, and that Abu Mariyya was beaten "before the very eyes" of his family members.
Awad said the home of the committee's secretary, Ahmad Khalil Abu Hashim, was also raided, and that he was handed a warrant ordering him to visit an Israeli intelligence center for interrogation on Monday, noting the organizer ripped up the paper.
Israeli soldiers threatened committee member Ahmad Sabarna, saying they would detain his son if protests continued, Awad said.
He added that Israeli soldiers also fired stun grenades as they moved between houses in the Hebron-area village overnight, and that Israeli settlers set fire to trees planted in Palestinian fields in the nearby Safa village. Several trees were burned, Awad said.
A statement from the Israeli military said that 'during the course of the operation, a Molotov cocktail and numerous rocks were hurled towards the IDF forces, and the forces responded with riot-dispersal means."
The statement reminded that "anyone who wishes to file a complaint with law enforcement authorities is welcome to do so, and the matters will be examined accordingly."
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