Settlers Attack Internationals in Suseya
August 9th, 2006
A woman from Sweden, Gabby, and a man from Austria, Sebastian, were kicked, pushed, jumped on, and bitten by settlers
while they walked on Palestinian farmland the evening of August 8th.
The internationals live in Suseya in order to accompany farmers to their land, provide support for the community, and
prevent attacks from settlers. They were living in a valley where eight Palestinian families live, and stacked their
tent on the Palestinian-owned land nearest to the Israeli settlement of Suseya.
About 7pm on the 8th, two internationals and one Palestinian were confronted by two Israeli settlers with their sheep at
first. One of the settler began yelling and charged at the internationals and Palestinian. The settler attacked the
internationals by kicking and pushing, as the internationals attempted to document the attack. The settler and the
internationals both backed away, but the internationals noticed that the settler was calling for others.
Soon after, six additional settlers, two armed with guns, and one Israeli soldier appeared. Three settlers jumped on the
Austrian man, grabbing his camera. The settlers grabbed the Austrian man by the throat, hit and pushed him. They kicked
him in the back and another settler bit him on his hand. While the Austrian man was pinned to the ground, the Swedish
woman appealed for help from the Israeli soldier, who appeared to be escorting the settlers. The soldier responded in
English, "I don't speak English."
The settlers managed to steal the video camera that contained the footage of the first attack, before retreating. The
internationals called the police to file a report, and while the police initially agreed to meet, they later claimed
that they were unable to find the area and did not respond.
"I have to admit, I am really scared," said the Austrian man. "I mean, there is no law here, it is just gang violence
and I don't know what those people want, or what they will do to me."
ENDS