West Bank Jewish settlers in Hebron celebrated Lag Ba'Omer Saturday night with a giant bonfire indicative, many would say, of their thuggish behavior and their racism – they illegally set up their huge bonfire in an olive grove belonging to local Arabs and loudly partied and danced there while burning Palestinian flags as police and IDF soldiers did nothing to stop them.
Above: Settlers illegally burn huge bonfire in a Palestinian olive grove in Hebron on Lag Ba'Omer (Emil Salman–Ha'aretz)
Jewish Settlers Take Over Palestinian Orchard, Burn Palestinian Flags And Assault Ha'aretz Photographer As Army And Police Do Nothing
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
West Bank Jewish settlers in Hebron celebrated Lag Ba'Omer Saturday night with a giant bonfire indicative, many would say, of their thuggish behavior and their racism – they illegally set up their huge bonfire in an olive grove belonging to local Arabs and loudly partied and danced there while burning Palestinian flags as police and IDF soldiers did nothing to stop them.
The grove, located in the Palestinian Tel Rumeida neighborhood and belonging to the al-Knibi family, is located in the front of a house associated with the Youth Against Settlements center – an organization that documents anti-Arab actions by Jewish settlers, IDF soldiers and police in Hebron, Ha’aretz reported.
While the the al-Knibi family looked on, settlers burned the flags of the Palestinian Authority, Fatah and the international observers. The settlers also blasted loud music over a PA system.
As Haaretz photographer Emil Salman tried to take photographs of the bonfire from close range, he was reportedly assaulted by several settlers.
A policeman then asked Salman – not the settlers – to leave the area for fear that he would disturb the peace with his presence.
The the al-Knibi family have reportedly previously filed complaints with the police and the Civil Administration about unauthorized and often dangerous use of their land, but police and the CA have done nothing to stop it from happening.
On Friday, after settlers had already begun to pile the wood old tires for the giant bonfire in the al-Knibi family’s orchard, a Civil Administration officer reportedly asked settlers that the bonfire not be built on the the al-Knibi family’s land, but he was ignored. The settlers continued to pile more wood and the police and the IDF did nothing to stop them.
And then on Saturday night, knowing for two days where the settlers would be lighting their giant bonfire, the police and IDF also reportedly did nothing as the settlers lit the giant pile of wood, tires and trash on fire.