Amira Hass :The Question Isn't Why Violence Is Erupting in Hebron but Why Now?

- novembre 08, 2015

The question isn't why violence is erupting in Hebron – but why now?

HAARETZ.COM

The riddle the Israeli security establishment has been trying to solve for past few weeks, as to the reason the focus of escalation moved between Jerusalem and Hebron, is not complicated. These are the two cities in which settlers are living in the heart of the Palestinian population. In both, settlers are under a heavy guard, which means constantly running into armed Israelis – soldiers, police, security people and the settlers themselves. In other cities life can go on, almost forgetting the settlements and military positions surrounding them. In Jerusalem and Hebron that is impossible; protection of a few hundred settlers constantly disrupts the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.

From the Palestinian perspective, life goes on under the shadow of daily violent provocation and endless humiliation. And so the real riddle is why the wave of popular protest, including individual attempts at stabbing, broke out now and not before this. It cannot be known yet whether Friday’s shooting attacks are a new phase and whether Israeli attempts at suppression will block it or encourage others to use guns.

One of the tasks of the Palestinian security services in recent weeks has been to see to it that armed individuals do not approach points of friction with the Israeli army – but that is not the only explanation for the fact that guns have not been used. So far, even without instructions from above, most Palestinians agree that it is better not to be dragged into the use of guns because of the bitter experience of the second intifada and the fear of Israeli suppression. The people who shot and wounded three Israelis have apparently reached the conclusion that now Palestinians will accept it and are prepared to be subjected to more suppression.

As expected, on the night between Friday and Saturday the Israel Defense Forces raided a number of neighborhoods. A news website identified with Hamas reported that in the Abu Sneina neighborhood soldiers arrested a man serving in the Palestinian security forces. It was apparently from this neighborhood, part of which is under Israeli security control, that the two young Israelis were shot near the Tomb of the Patriarchs.

According to Palestinian sources, Friday night and Saturday morning Israelis attacked a number of Palestinian homes in Tel Rumeida and the Jaber neighborhood, through which the road passes connecting Hebron’s old city with Kiryat Arba. They tried to break into houses and threw stones at least at one of them, with Israeli soldiers nearby. On Sunday the IDF took over at least three houses in Hebron’s old city, held the residents of each house in one room and announced that the houses had become military positions for 24 hours.

Last week, direct access roads connecting Hebron with neighboring villages and towns were blocked. In the old city of Hebron, anyone who does not live on Shuhada Street or Tel Rumeida is not allowed to enter these neighborhoods. The checkpoint at the entrance to the Al-Ibrahimi Mosque (Tomb of the Patriarchs) has been closed. On Friday afternoon Muslims were not allowed to enter their holy place.

IDF and Shin Bet security service forces have raided every home in which a family member has been killed recently by soldiers or police. In at least some of the houses, soldiers surveyed every room and examined the construction materials. Residents told Haaretz that Shin Bet personnel told them the intention was to blow up the houses. These were not cases in which an Israeli soldier or civilian was killed by a member of these families, but rather stabbing attempts that ended in slight or no injury.

The families say they are certain that if the soldiers had wanted to, they could have made do with wounding or arresting their relative. After the killing, which the families see as intentional, the next greatest punishment is withholding the body. For the families and their wider circles, the thought that their loved ones are lying in a morgue and not afforded proper burial raises the level of hatred and abhorrence of Israel and Israelis.