Advertisement Pax ChristiICN Would you like to advertise on ICN? Click to learn more.

Holy Land: Illegal settlers take another piece of land


Israeli armoured bulldozer in action

Israeli armoured bulldozer in action

On 25 February members of the Christian Peacemaker teams observed a bulldozer push its way forward, leveling the land on a Palestinian owned hilltop in the small village of Al Bweireh. The settlers from Outpost 86 and from Harsina Settlement have been walking or driving through the Palestinian village every Friday to pray at the top of this hill, saying that their leader Nete in the outpost had been killed on this hill a number of years ago.

At this time, two security guards from the settlement were engineering the area, indicating about one dunam for the bulldozer to level. After CPT asked to see the official permission to level this land for the settlers, the Israeli security guard showed a yellow scrap of paper with a paragraph written in Hebrew. When one CPTer insisted this was not an official document, the security guard made no effort to defend himself.

After observing for an hour, CPT asked three people from the village to give more history of the hilltop. The land belonged to a Mr Sultan, and had also belonged to his grandfather. For a short yime it had belonged to a group of Palestinian women in the Teachers' Union who had hoped to build houses on the hill. But when Harsina Settlement was settled in the 80's, the women were then forbidden to go to the hill and Mr Sultan had bought it back.

Mr Sultan pleaded the case before the lower Military Court who said they could not help him. He therefore took the case to the Military High Court who sent him back to the lower court. Now he is unsure what might still possibly help. He commented to CPT: "We know everything, but we can't do anything.". "The settlers come and do what they want."

Source: CPT

Adverts

Sisters of the Holy Cross

We offer publicity space for Catholic groups/organisations. See our advertising page if you would like more information.

We Need Your Support

ICN aims to provide speedy and accurate news coverage of all subjects of interest to Catholics and the wider Christian community. As our audience increases - so do our costs. We need your help to continue this work.

You can support our journalism by advertising with us or donating to ICN.

Mobile Menu Toggle Icon