ISRAEL PALESTINIANS SETTLEMENTS USAGM
Metadata
- ISRAEL PALESTINIANS SETTLEMENTS USAGM
- December 7, 2023
- Violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank has escalated since the war with Hamas began on October 7th, according to Palestinians. This has happened even as the Biden administration steps up pressure on Israel to stop settler violence by ordering a U.S. travel ban on extremist settlers involved in attacks. Henry Wilkins visited the scene of some of the recent clashes and has this report from the Palestinian town of Qarawat Bani Hassan in the West Bank.
- Content Type Package
- Language English
- Transcript/Script ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: ISRAEL PALESTINIANS SETTLEMENTS HEADLINE: Settler Violence Escalates in the West Bank Despite US Pressure TEASER: VOA visited the site where a Palestinian man was shot dead by Israeli settlers this month PUBLISHED AT: Thursday, 12/06/2023 at BYLINE: Henry Wilkins CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: Qarawat Bani Hassan, West Bank VIDEOGRAPHER: Henry Wilkins VIDEO EDITOR: Henry Wilkins SCRIPT EDITORS: LR, DLJ VIDEO SOURCES: VOA, Zoom PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X_ TRT: 3:04 VID APPROVED BY: pcd TYPE: TV/R EDITOR NOTES: )) ((INTRO)) [[Violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank has escalated since the war with Hamas began on October 7th, according to Palestinians. This has happened even as the Biden administration steps up pressure on Israel to stop settler violence by ordering a U.S. travel ban on extremist settlers involved in attacks. Henry Wilkins visited the scene of some of the recent clashes and has this report from the Palestinian town of Qarawat Bani Hassan in the West Bank.]] ((NARRATOR)) In the olive groves of Qarawat Bani Hassan, in the West Bank, Palestinian villagers escorted VOA to the spot where Ahmed Assi, a 41-year-old father of six, was killed during clashes with Israeli settlers, just three days earlier. After the fighting died down, his brother says villagers found his car abandoned in the middle of the road. ((Othman Mustapha Assi, Assi’s Brother - MALE IN ARABIC - 17 secs))) “Someone from the town spotted his car in the location where the incident occurred. So, we went there, and the people who had been with him searched for him in the last place he was seen. He was found shot and must have been dead for approximately four hours.” [[RADIO VERSION: He says someone from the town spotted his car in the location where the clashes occurred, so those who had been with him went down to search for him in the last place they saw him. He says, that’s where they found him dead, estimating it must have happened about four hours earlier.]] ((NARRATOR)) The settlers came from a settlement across the valley. On a map in his office, the mayor of Qarawat Bani Hassan points to Israeli settlements surrounding his community. Ibrahim Assi says another member of the community was killed by settlers in February, but they have exhausted ways to seek justice for that killing with the Palestinian or Israeli authorities. ((Ibrahim Assi, Mayor of Qarawat Bani Hassan (in Arabic, 22 secs)) “We call all free citizens worldwide, especially those from America and Britain, to intervene and prevent Israel from perpetrating these massacres and hold them accountable for the actions of its settlers under its protection. These settlers target civilians who lack any means to protect their lands.” [[RADIO VERSION: The mayor told VOA he calls on all citizens worldwide, especially those from America and Britain to intervene and prevent Israel from perpetrating massacres and hold them accountable for the actions of its settlers under its protection, adding that the settlers target those who lack any way to protect their lands.]] ((NARRATOR)) In recent weeks, the Biden administration has been putting pressure on Israel to stop violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians. On December 5th, the U.S. announced it would ban extremist settlers from obtaining U.S. visas, following repeated requests to the Israeli government to control the violence. In the cycle of violence, thirty-one Israelis, including children, have been killed in the West Bank by Palestinians this year, according to U.N. data. Rights groups say fatalities caused by Israeli settlers have doubled since the war began and that settlers are better armed and more aggressive. ((For radio: Bill Van Esveld is a researcher for Human Rights Watch. )) ((Bill Van Esveld, Human Rights Watch Researcher (in English, 16 secs))) ((ZOOM)) “In previous problems with the settlers there would be one guy with handgun, but now there’s a group of guys and they all have M16s and that the threats are much more severe and immediate, like you need to get out of your and leave your community within five days.” ((VIDEO-VOA: QARAWAT BANI HASSAN OLIVE GROVES - various, ASSI’S SON - various)) ((NARRATOR)) In a written response to VOA, the Israel Defense Forces officials said, “The IDF and Civil Administration are taking all necessary actions to maintain the security of all residents in the towns and villages in the region.” The IDF said it broke up the clash that killed Assi, but the local mayor said the IDF was supporting the settlers only. As for Assi’s oldest son, age 15, he says he couldn’t believe his father was dead when he learned the news. ((Nuriddeen Assi, Assi’s Son – MALE IN ARABIC - 11 secs)) “They have made me take the burden of responsibility for my family at such a young age.” [[RADIO VERSION: He says the settlers made him take the burden of responsibility for his family at such a young age.]] ((VIDEO-VOA: QARAWAT BANI HASSAN OLIVE GROVES - various, ISRAELI SETTLEMENT - various)) ((NARRATOR)) The regional council of Israeli settlers did not respond to VOA’s request for comment. ((Henry Wilkins, VOA News, Qarawat Bani Hassan in the West Bank))
- Network VOA
- Location (dateline) Qarawat Bani Hassan, West Bank
- Embargo Date December 7, 2023 06:26 EST
- Byline Henry Wilkins
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America - English