Description

from Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) for the Alternative Information Center (AIC)

Contrary to the Geneva Convention, which forbids punishing a group for the actions of a few people, Israeli soldiers in Hebron hauled Palestinian men out of their homes, beat a man at a checkpoint, and detained three internationals on Monday night, after someone threw two Molotov cocktails at a checkpoint


On the night of November 28th, a Palestinian man threw two Molotov cocktails at the Israeli military checkpoint in the neighborhood of Qitoun in Hebron. In response, the military and border police fired tear gas, entered houses in the neighborhood and forced about 50 men to stand outside in the cold for nearly two hours while they checked their identification.


The military arrested one Palestinian man and detained three more after they allowed the residents of the neighborhood to return to their homes.


At about 10:20 PM, soldiers came back from one of the houses with clothes that they claimed belonged to the man who threw the Molotov cocktails.

During the incident, Palestinians passing the checkpoint reported that soldiers were beating one of the detained men. Later on, other passersby reported that soldiers were holding a man on the ground and sitting on him.

At around 10:40 PM, the commander declared a closed military zone and ordered internationals to leave the area, including three members of Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH). Members of TIPH are allowed by mandate to observe the military. When internationals asked the commander to show them the order, he refused, saying that he didn't have to show it.


The military detained three members of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), but released them later.

Military actions that target groups of people in response to the actions of a few are illegal according to the Geneva Conventions.