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The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil,    but because of the people who don't do anything about it

Occupation magazine - Life under occupation Home page  back Print  Send To friend Extreme settler violence at Huwarra Checkpoint while soldiers stood by A report of Att. Eitay Mack. `Don`t Say We Didn`t Know 527` 22 Nov 2016 This is the severest incident in a series of assaults, damage to property and violence on the part of extreme settlers while the army stands watching. Ayed and his son came to Huwarra Checkpoint in their car, in early October 2016, on their way home. This checkpoint is replete with cameras, lighting and soldier posts, and is also very close to the HQ base of the regional brigade (Shomron), the largest army base in the area. The soldiers closed off the checkpoint and consequently all the Palestinian cars present were jammed, and Ayed could not turn around and leave. A group of dozens of settlers reached the roundabout and began to hurl stones at the Palestinian cars stuck there. After a stone hit the son`s head, Ayed passed him over to a car ahead of him in the line, literally inside the closed off checkpoint and asked the driver to take him to their home as soon as the checkpoint opens. When Ayed returned to his own car, at the roundabout, a settler threw a large rock into it which luckily only hit the seat next to the driver. Then a settler came with a large knifeand tried to damage the gas tank in order to cause the car to go up in flames with Ayed inside. Ayed was scared and fled from the car, crossed the checkpoint on foot and waited for things to calm down in order to go back and get his car. When the checkpoint was opened and Ayed returned to the roundabout, his car was gone. Apparently the settlers took advantage of this opportunity, took the car and lit it up alongside the checkpoint, where the road goes up to Har Bracha settlement (a road solely for the use of settlers in order to get to the settlement and outpost on the mountain). From the moment the settlers went on their violent spree, the soldiers were standing both inside the checkpoint and at the roundabout itself. Still they did nothing to stop the settlers or prevent their violence. Not only did the soldiers stand by and do nothing, they literally created the trap for the Palestinians - their cars were stuck in front of the checkpoint. As much as the soldiers themselves might fear the settlers, they should have opened the checkpoint and let the Palestinians enter Nablus in order to prevent injuries and damage. In spite of the soldiers` standing by and doing nothing, and in spite of the fact that by some mysterious wonder the checkpoint security camera`s tapes were erased two weeks after the event, the State of Israel accuses Ayed of responsibility for the damage: He forgot to remove the key when fleeing his car, while the settlers were trying to have him burnt alive inside, and so they could move the car to the side of the checkpoint and burn it. Ayed and his son have sued the state for compensations for their damages, because of the soldiers` responsibility for what happened without interfering. Further information: amosg@shefayim.org Links to the latest articles in this section Occupation forces injure mourners following funeral of slain infant Mohammad Tamimi Nabi Saleh village assaulted - toddler shot in the head died in hospital Palestinians in the snow: thrown from home into the snow, throw snowballs and get arrested