The pogrom in Huwarah and other Palestinian communities in the northern West Bank: the Jewish supremacy regime in action
26 February 2023 · Views: 4,412
On Sunday, 26 February 2023, at around midday, Palestinian militants shot and killed Israeli brothers Hillel and Yagel Yaniv, who live in the settlement of Har Bracha, while the two were waiting in a traffic jam on a road that runs through the town of Huwarah.
That afternoon, hundreds of settlers, escorted by soldiers, invaded several neighborhoods in the town of Huwarah as well as the villages of Za’tara, Burin and ‘Asira al-Qibliyah, and carried out a pogrom.
This was no loss of control. In fact, it is exactly what Israel’s control looks like: settlers launch an attack, soldiers guard them, and politicians back them up.
Huwarah:
Settlers burned down four homes, two of them under construction, and set fire to nine others, which were partially burned. They also shattered windows in 41 houses, burned down a quarry, a carpentry shop, a carwash and an electrical goods store, and torched five other warehouses and businesses, which were partially burned.
The settlers burned down hundreds of vehicles: two buses, about 60 cars belonging to town residents, approximately 220 cars in a car dealership, and hundreds of unlicensed cars parked in five different parking lots. They also torched three cars, which were partially burned, and shattered windows in 47 cars, five ambulances, a fire truck and a three-wheeled vehicle (tuk-tuk).
The settlers also shattered windowpanes in the municipality building, vandalized water pipes and two dumpsters, smashed street lamps along the main street and tiles on the roofs of five homes, and set fire to 42 olive trees.
Additionally, the settlers attacked town residents with stones, injuring five. When residents came out of their homes to defend themselves, the soldiers attacked them with tear gas and 240 suffered gas inhalation.
After the pogrom, the military ordered 350 shops and other businesses shut for five days, causing the owners serious losses.
Za’tara:
At around 8:00 P.M., about 15 settlers arrived at the section of Route 60 that leads to the town of Za’tara and tried to set fire to a crane parked there. When residents came out to defend their property, the settlers drew back a little. About half an hour later, they were joined by about 30 more settlers, a settlement security vehicle and a military jeep. They advanced towards the town again, throwing stones at homes and cars, and the residents tried to fend them off by throwing stones. At approximately 9:00 P.M., live shots were fired at the defending residents. Sameh Aqtash (36) was hit in the abdomen and died of his wounds soon after. A resident of Za’tara, Aqtash was married and had five children.
Burin:
At the same time, dozens of settlers escorted by soldiers invaded the eastern and southern parts of the village of Burin. They attacked three homes and set fire to four cars. In the Abu Sufan family’s home, the settlers torched cars in the parking lot under the building, starting a fire that cut off the power in the house. In the a-Najar family’s home, the settlers set fire to a gas tank, which exploded and damaged the front door and water pipes. The settlers also torched the family's car, killed two sheep in their livestock enclosure, stole eight sheep and cut down four olive trees on their land. In the Hindi family’s home, the settlers shattered two solar panels. They also torched the car of the Zaharawi family, which was parked by their home. The settlers also set fire to a livestock enclosure belonging to the village high school.
In addition, the settlers attacked several village residents with stones, injuring two. Soldiers escorting them fired live shots and tear gas canisters at residents who tried to defend themselves. Several residents suffered tear gas inhalation and were treated on the spot.
‘Asirah al-Qibliyah:
Settlers escorted by about 15 military jeeps set fire to a home and the electrical panel of the village water reservoir. They attacked five homes, one of them under construction, with stones, shattered their windows and the roof tiles of one, and torched a car. Soldiers fired tear gas canisters at residents who came out to defend their property, and several casualties were treated on the spot.
- Attacks on homes
- Damage to property (agricultural)
- Damage to property (nonagricultural)
- Harm to farm animals
- Physical assault