19.8.03: Many Residents of the Casbah in Hebron Leave their Homes
B'Tselem's new report, released today, shows that since the outbreak of the intifada, many Palestinians have left their homes in Area H-2 in Hebron (the area in which the settlers also reside). B'Tselem's research indicates that since September 2000, some 43% of the residents of the three main streets in the Casbah have left their homes, at least 2,000 businesses have closed, and three schools in which 1,835 pupils studied were taken over by the IDF and closed.
The report describes the primary reasons that Palestinians abandoned the Casbah:
Violence by settlers and the lack of law enforcement: Despite the numerous cases of violence by settlers, some of which were clearly anticipated, there is almost no law enforcement on the settlers. A presentation made by the Civil Administration, which is included in B'Tselem's report, states that, "The State of Israel has a very bad image as relates to law enforcement in Hebron" (emphasis in the original).
Violence by security forces: IDF soldiers and Border Police officers commit acts of violence against Palestinian residents of the city. The report presents testimonies of such incidents, including several which occurred after the exposure of a series of violent acts by Border Police officers.
Curfew and closing of businesses: The Israeli security forces do not allow Palestinians in Hebron to move about freely in the city, to study, to earn a living, and to meet their everyday needs. Since the beginning of the intifada, Israel has imposed hundreds of days of curfew on Palestinians living in Area H-2.
The ongoing abuse of Hebron's Palestinian population results from the settlers' presence in the city. On the pretext of protecting five hundred settlers, Israel has created enormous hardship for the other 35,000 residents of the Casbah - so much so that many have been forced to leave their homes.
B'Tselem calls on the Israeli government to protect all residents of Hebron from acts of violence, to allow Palestinians to live normal lives, and to dismantle the settlements in the city.
Whole report in Word format: http://www.btselem.org/Download/2003_Hebron_Eng.doc
Whole report in PDF format: http://www.btselem.org/Download/2003_Hebron_Eng.pdf