West Bank: violence as Hebron outpost evacuated

An illegal Israeli settlement outpost erected near the larger Kiyrat Arba settlement in Hebron was evacuated by Israeli forces on the morning of Aug. 5, sparking violence from squatters. The outpost, a collection of wood buildings and tents in Hebron’s al-Buwayra area, was taken down and more than a dozen settlers removed from the area, who proceeded to torch Palestinian lands, witnesses said.

According to Israeli media, the area was known to settlers as Mitzpe Avihai, and those removed from the area were joined by tens of others from the nearby settlement, who were accused of vandalizing Israeli military vehicles at the scene. Hebron residents, who said they feared to leave their homes amidst the skirmishes, reported settlers were throwing stones at Israeli forces. Police were seen detaining some settlers. (Ma’an News Agency, Aug. 5)

See our last post on the West Bank.

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  1. West Bank: who are the Nazis?
    From Israel National News, July 30:

    Abbas: PA state to be Judenrein
    If a Palestinian Authority state is created in Judea and Samaria, no Israeli citizen will be allowed to set foot inside, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said this week in a meeting with members of the Arab League. The PA chairman also stated that he would block any Jewish soldiers from serving with an international force stationed on PA-controlled land.

    “I will never allow a single Israeli to live among us on Palestinian land,” Abbas declared.
    Abbas addressed the Arab League during a discussion over the possibility of holding direct negotiations with Israel.

    “Judenrein”? Implying, of course, that Abbas is Hitler. What makes it hilariously ironic is that by using the phrase “Judea and Samaria,” the writer implicitly legitimizes an illegal assertion of Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank. Abbas’ remark may be impolitic (although not among his intended audience in Cairo), but the context for it is massive illegal Israeli settlement of the Occupied Territories. Polish Jews weren’t illegally occupying and settling Germany.

    Occupation and annexation are also redolent of Nazism, so Israel National News should think twice before being too promiscuous with the Hitler analogies (as we recently had to remind a fool who Nazi-baited the Iranian regime).

    We say that especially in reportage on Israel/Palestine, Godwin’s Law should be fastidiously observed.

    1. Abbas’ statement is much more abhorrent
      Hi Bill,
      I am not sure I follow you here. I think Abbas’ statement is much more abhorrent than the word choice of the Isreal National News journalist. Some short feedback here:

      “Judenrein”? Implying, of course, that Abbas is Hitler.

      No Abbas is not Hitler, but forbidding Jews to live in the territory of the potential Palestinian state is a form of “ethnic cleansing” that is reminiscient of Nazi policies. Is it not?

      What makes it hilariously ironic is that by using the phrase “Judea and Samaria,” the writer implicitly legitimizes an illegal assertion of Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank.

      Ironic in what way? Are you implying that the author’s use of the terms “Judea and Samaria” imply a political demand for the “ethnic cleansing” of Arabs from the West Bank?

      Abbas’ remark may be impolitic (although not among his intended audience in Cairo), but the context for it is massive illegal Israeli settlement of the Occupied Territories. Polish Jews weren’t illegally occupying and settling Germany.

      I think that kind of contextualization is overly simplistic. It gives justification to a completely unjustifiable political position (that Jews ought to be barred from a future Palestinian society).

      1. schalom libertad’s statement is much more abhorrent
        “More abhorrent” than a reference to the Holocaust? Oy vey…

        It never ceases to amaze me how much denial otherwise progressive Jews can be in regarding these questions.

        For starters, Abbas didn’t say he would forbid “Jews,” but Israelis. And Israelis have since 1967 been militarily occupying, illegally settling, and aggressively appropriating land on the West Bank (which is “reminiscent of Nazi policies,” if you must). What is “simplistic” about this “contextualization”? Denying it, and engaging in an uncritical Palestinians=Nazis analogy, is what is simplistic.

        I suppose use of the term “Judea and Samaria” doesn’t necessarily imply a political demand for the “ethnic cleansing” of Arabs from the West Bank, but it certainly implies an embrace of the annexationist agenda, and continued expropriation of the Palestinians, at best.

        Look, if you are paying attention you know that this website has aggressively called out Palestinian and Arab leadership when they have really flirted with Nazi ideology (and taken lots of shit for it). But we don’t have much legitimacy to do this kind of work if we overlook the overwhelming “context.” Sorry if that is a dirty word for you.