Description

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Private security guards at the Jewish settlement of Ofra north of Ramallah detained a 27-year-old Palestinian man near the entrance to the nearby village Silwad after reportedly assaulting him on Monday.

Yasser Abu Zeina was walking near the entrance of the settlement on his way into Silwad when a vehicle belonging to the private security forces of the settlement reportedly stopped him.

The security guards then proceeded to beat and detain him before taking him into the settlement.

Witnesses said that an Israeli army vehicle was parked nearby and witnessed the incident but did not intervene nor stop the guards from assaulting Abu Zeina.

Ofra is built on lands that were confiscated from the village of Silwad by authorities in order to create the Jewish-only settlement.

Ofra along with neighboring Beit El sit directly on the main roads leading north from Ramallah, making travel difficult for Palestinian commuters as well as residents of local villages.