List of incidents of violence and abuse of Palestinians by Border Police around the settlement in a-Ras, April-June 2007

15 October 2007

The following list is partial and does not reflect the actual scope of the violence and abuse suffered by residents of a-Ras and surrounding areas. Yet, the list gives a picture of the ongoing violence by security forces. The list contains incidents in which Border Police were involved, but in all the incidents, soldiers were in their permanent positions in and around the settlement .

10 April: While three Palestinians from the area are being checked at the checkpoint, one of the Border Police officers speaks rudely to him. One of the Palestinians asks the policeman why he was speaking to them like that. In response, the policemen beat him. One of the policemen slaps him twice, and while the other two policemen hold him, continue to hit him in the stomach with his rifle. One of the other two policemen puts his rifle to the throat of one of the Palestinians, threatening to shoot him .

13 May: Border Police at the checkpoint steal wood from a nearby building site to build a fire. The owner of the wood states that the thefts began after the checkpoint was set up, following establishment of the settlement. The thefts continue the next few nights as well .

24 May: Border Police at the checkpoint prevent two Palestinians, one of them about ninety years old, to cross on the road near the mosque, near which the new settlement was established .

4 June: Late at night, a Border Police officer at the checkpoint prevents Palestinians to cross and go home while settlers are standing outside the settlement building .

18 June: In the early morning hours, a Border Police officer presses his rifle to the body of a Palestinian woman passing by and squeezes the trigger while the magazine is empty. The policeman's action is referred to as a 'mock execution .'

21 June: Border Police officers at the checkpoint abuse young Palestinian men crossing the checkpoint. The policemen demand that they get hashish for them. When one of the Palestinians refuses, he is detained for forty-five minutes or so .

24 June: A Border Police officer at the checkpoint orders a Palestinian who wanted to cross late at night to give him a watermelon. The Palestinian gives it to him, not daring to refuse .

26 June: In the morning, a Border Police officer at the checkpoint steals cigarettes from a Palestinian. According to the Palestinian's testimony, the policeman stopped him to check him and he took a pack of cigarettes, claiming that he had to check if it contained hashish. He took two or three cigarettes and then gave the pack back to him .

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