The People of the village Khirbat Yanun have been suffering for a while from repeated settler attacks and harassment. The attacks reached new peaks this last weekend. The residents' lives have become so unbearable that they were forced to leave their homes. The army and the police forces stand idly by as a campaign of intimidation is being carried out against innocent , helpless people. Despite the attacks of recent months, the authorities have not taken any measures against the aggressors. The settlers are rewarded for their attempt to "clean" the area of Palestinians, and execute a small population transfer.

The residents of Khirbat Yanun are now making their way back home, accompanied by Ta'ayush activists. The residents have had to leave their village in the last few days, as a result of repeated Harassment by the settlers of Itamar

We intend to keep constant presence in Yanun, in two shifts, in order to minimize the chances of further harassment by the settlers.

If you want to volunteer, please contact:
In Jerusalem: Liora 054-419341
In Tel Aviv area:
Esti 03-5254325
Ruti 03-5739853

Background

Hirbat Yanun is a small village of some 150 residents, mostly elderly, women and children. It is located in the Nablus district near the village of Akrabeh. The residents of Yanun have been target to violent attacks and harassment by settlers from Itamar since the beginning of the Intifada in October 2000, and particularly in the last seven months. The settlers have been cutting off water and electricity supplies to the village, arriving during the night on horseback, faces covered, smashing windows, breaking doors, opening fire at houses and terrorizing the residents. Some families left the village several months ago. The rest remained in the village, but lived in constant fear from the settlers. The attacks and harassment have intensified during the past two weeks, since the beginning of the olive harvest. The settlers prevented the residents from reaching their olive groves - their only source of livelihood. In addition, they began diverting sewage toward the village. The situation became intolerable last week, after the settlers burnt the only power-generator that provided electricity to the village. The remaining residents were forced to leave the village and stay with relatives in Akrabeh. As the residents wished to return home but feared renewed attacks by the settlers, they asked Ta'ayush activists to accompany them to the village and remain with them there.

Two weeks ago, on October 6, 2002, settlers (apparently from Itamar) murdered 22-year-old Hani Bani Maniyah from Akrabeh, while he was harvesting olives in his family’s grove. Only yesterday, settlers from Yitzhar shot at peace activists who had come to participate in the olive harvest in the villages near Nablus.

According to B’Tselem, the Israeli Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, 17 Palestinians were killed by Israeli citizens since the beginning of the Intifada. No indictments have been filed.