August 15, 2009

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts simultaneous late-night house searches in 2 villages n. of Ramallah, summoning 2 Palestinians for interrogation. Palestinians and international activists attempt to harvest Palestinian crop land declared a closed military zone in what might be a bid to expand Bet Ayn settlement; IDF soldiers fire tear gas, stun grenades, and beat some of the protesters, moderately injuring 1 foreign activist and arresting 2. In a similar incident nr. Hebron, Palestinian and international activists attempt to reach land nr. Karme Tzur that settlers attempted to seize on 7/31; the IDF chases them off, declaring the area a closed military zone and arresting 2 foreign activists. (OCHA, PCHR 8/20)