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Tensions Mount as Troops Scour Hebron in Search for Missing Youths Tensions Mount as Troops Scour Hebron in Search for Missing Youths
(about 1 hour later)
HEBRON, West Bank — Kayed and Hassan Jaber, brothers who drive trucks loaded with marble from this city’s quarries into Israel each day, stood in the doorway of their Star of the South company here Monday afternoon watching pretty much nothing happen on the street.HEBRON, West Bank — Kayed and Hassan Jaber, brothers who drive trucks loaded with marble from this city’s quarries into Israel each day, stood in the doorway of their Star of the South company here Monday afternoon watching pretty much nothing happen on the street.
There were no trucks to drive because of a one-day strike in solidarity with hunger-striking Palestinians in Israeli prisons that shuttered nearly all of Hebron’s stores and industry. Worse, with Israeli troops limiting entry and exit as part of a crackdown after last week’s kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers, the Jabers were worried that Monday’s wedding party for Kayed’s 17-year-old daughter would be ruined.There were no trucks to drive because of a one-day strike in solidarity with hunger-striking Palestinians in Israeli prisons that shuttered nearly all of Hebron’s stores and industry. Worse, with Israeli troops limiting entry and exit as part of a crackdown after last week’s kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers, the Jabers were worried that Monday’s wedding party for Kayed’s 17-year-old daughter would be ruined.
“Our children, the prisoners, more than 50 days they’re without food and nobody talks about it. Because of this kidnapping, the whole world opens its mouth,” said Kayed Jaber, 49, a father of 10. “They have three boys missing,” he added, referring to Israel. “This is like they arrest 800,000 people in the Hebron area — look at the checkpoints.” “Our children, the prisoners, more than 50 days they’re without food, and nobody talks about it. Because of this kidnapping, the whole world opens its mouth,” said Kayed Jaber, 49, a father of 10. “They have three boys missing,” he added, referring to Israel. “This is like they arrest 800,000 people in the Hebron area — look at the checkpoints.”
It was Day 3 of what Palestinians are universally calling a “siege” on Hebron, the West Bank’s largest city and a perennial hotbed of tension and clashes. Israel had arrested 150 people, most of them leaders of the militant Islamic movement Hamas, and in Monday’s wee hours, Aziz Dweik, a Hebron resident who is speaker of the inert Palestinian Parliament. It was Day 3 of what Palestinians are universally calling a “siege” on Hebron, the West Bank’s largest city and a perennial hotbed of tension and clashes. Israel had arrested 150 people, most of them leaders of the militant Islamic movement Hamas, and in Monday’s wee hours Aziz Dweik, a Hebron resident who is speaker of the inert Palestinian Parliament.
The local radio station played warlike anthems interspersed with bulletins about how many tanks were invading what neighborhood. In the Bab al Zawya district, Israeli soldiers fired rubber bullets at a few youths hurling stones and rolling flaming tires. Along Peace Street, the main thoroughfare, sweet shops and cellphone stands, car dealerships and clothing boutiques all sat idle behind roll-down gates or wooden shutters.The local radio station played warlike anthems interspersed with bulletins about how many tanks were invading what neighborhood. In the Bab al Zawya district, Israeli soldiers fired rubber bullets at a few youths hurling stones and rolling flaming tires. Along Peace Street, the main thoroughfare, sweet shops and cellphone stands, car dealerships and clothing boutiques all sat idle behind roll-down gates or wooden shutters.
Many said there had not been similar scenes since the violent second intifada in the early 2000s.Many said there had not been similar scenes since the violent second intifada in the early 2000s.
“We, as Palestinians, of course we are suffering collective punishment,” said Daoud Zatari, Hebron’s mayor. “If it will last long it will have devastating and severe consequences on the people, not only from the economic side. The life is miserable now. They are feeling they are living in a surrounded zone, as if we are all in a big jail.”“We, as Palestinians, of course we are suffering collective punishment,” said Daoud Zatari, Hebron’s mayor. “If it will last long it will have devastating and severe consequences on the people, not only from the economic side. The life is miserable now. They are feeling they are living in a surrounded zone, as if we are all in a big jail.”
Hebron, a half-hour drive south of the hitchhiking post in the Gush Etzion settlement block where the teenagers were last seen Thursday night, was the focal point of the Israeli military campaign. But Hamas-affiliated legislators, former ministers, professors and operatives were arrested across the West Bank, and a few of the night raids turned violent.Hebron, a half-hour drive south of the hitchhiking post in the Gush Etzion settlement block where the teenagers were last seen Thursday night, was the focal point of the Israeli military campaign. But Hamas-affiliated legislators, former ministers, professors and operatives were arrested across the West Bank, and a few of the night raids turned violent.
In the Jalazoun refugee camp near Ramallah, Israeli troops killed Ahmad Arafat Samadiyeh according to the emergency room chief at Ramallah Hospital, who said Mr. Samadiyeh, 30, was dead when he arrived at 3 a.m. on Monday, a bullet in the right side of his chest. In the Jalazoun refugee camp near Ramallah, Israeli troops killed Ahmad Arafat Samadiyeh, according to the emergency room chief at Ramallah Hospital, who said Mr. Samadiyeh, 30, was dead when he arrived at 3 a.m. on Monday, a bullet in the right side of his chest.
Here in Hebron, Mohammad Qawasmi, 8, was wounded when soldiers stormed his family’s home, bombing its gate, to arrest his 28-year-old brother, Zeid, according to relatives.Here in Hebron, Mohammad Qawasmi, 8, was wounded when soldiers stormed his family’s home, bombing its gate, to arrest his 28-year-old brother, Zeid, according to relatives.
By Monday afternoon, women and children peered from rooftops and balconies as Israelis in combat gear conducted house-to-house searches in Taffouh, a hilltop village west of Hebron.By Monday afternoon, women and children peered from rooftops and balconies as Israelis in combat gear conducted house-to-house searches in Taffouh, a hilltop village west of Hebron.
As if literally searching for a needle in a haystack, an Army dog sniffed at piles of straw alongside a sloping driveway. Was the dog tracking the scent of the missing teenagers, or drugs or weapons? “He can smell everything,” was all a soldier would allow.As if literally searching for a needle in a haystack, an Army dog sniffed at piles of straw alongside a sloping driveway. Was the dog tracking the scent of the missing teenagers, or drugs or weapons? “He can smell everything,” was all a soldier would allow.
Ikhlas Emreish, 38, stood outside with her husband and seven children, ages 1 to 18, after about 10 soldiers spent perhaps five minutes checking their quarters. “They opened the cabinets — just looked, nothing else,” Ms. Emreish said.Ikhlas Emreish, 38, stood outside with her husband and seven children, ages 1 to 18, after about 10 soldiers spent perhaps five minutes checking their quarters. “They opened the cabinets — just looked, nothing else,” Ms. Emreish said.
Asked whether the family was connected to Hamas, the 18-year-old, Suleiman, joked, “We’re with the ‘Piece of Bread’ party.”Asked whether the family was connected to Hamas, the 18-year-old, Suleiman, joked, “We’re with the ‘Piece of Bread’ party.”
Up on the main road, a group of men stared at the barred window of a second-floor apartment where they said 14 people had been held by Israeli troops for more than 24 hours. “No cigarettes, no phones,” said one of the men, Mohammed Nasser, 46, a cabdriver. “We don’t know why.” Up on the main road, a group of men stared at the barred window of a second-floor apartment where, they said, 14 people had been held by Israeli troops for more than 24 hours. “No cigarettes, no phones,” said one of the men, Mohammed Nasser, 46, a cabdriver. “We don’t know why.”
When a reporter tried to enter the building, soldiers with rifles drawn descended the stairs. “Go away,” one said.When a reporter tried to enter the building, soldiers with rifles drawn descended the stairs. “Go away,” one said.
Mr. Nasser said afterward, “I don’t agree with kidnapping of any people — and also with putting people in siege like this.”Mr. Nasser said afterward, “I don’t agree with kidnapping of any people — and also with putting people in siege like this.”
But many here and elsewhere in the Palestinian territories questioned whether the abduction even happened. Leaders referred to the “alleged kidnapping” in their statements, and social networks were filled with conspiracy theories of how Jewish settlers staged the event or the Israeli government was using it as a pretext to oust Hamas from the West Bank and thwart the Palestine Liberation Organization’s recent reconciliation with Hamas. But many here and elsewhere in the Palestinian territories questioned whether the abduction even happened. Leaders referred to the “alleged kidnapping” in some of their official statements, and social networks were filled with conspiracy theories of how Jewish settlers staged the event or the Israeli government was using it as a pretext to oust Hamas from the West Bank and thwart the Palestine Liberation Organization’s recent reconciliation with Hamas.
Ahmad Abu Eisheh, 27, noted that no credible claim of responsibility had yet emerged.Ahmad Abu Eisheh, 27, noted that no credible claim of responsibility had yet emerged.
“Hamas announces when they kidnap,” said Mr. Abu Eisheh, who works at a cleaning company. “For sure it’s a film. They want to destroy the reconciliation.”“Hamas announces when they kidnap,” said Mr. Abu Eisheh, who works at a cleaning company. “For sure it’s a film. They want to destroy the reconciliation.”