HEBRON, January 27, 2010 (WAFA)-  At least eighteen Jewish settlers, accompanied by Israeli soldiers, attacked Tuesday Palestinians in the West Bank village of At-Tuwani in the southern hills of Hebron.  An Israeli soldier punched a Palestinian villager, who was hospitalized for his injuries.  Doctors reporte that the nose of the villager has been broken and will require an operation.

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) said in a press release Women of At-Tuwani also told CPTers that during the attack soldiers threatened them and their children, saying that if they did not leave the area, soldiers would arrest all of the men of the village and kill at least one.  Despite being extremely frightened, the women remained where they were and told the soldiers they were welcome to arrest them as well as the men.

As previously reported, the day’s incident began at 9:20 am when three army jeeps and a pickup truck with a settler from Havat Ma’on and the settlement security guard from Ma’on drove into At-Tuwani.  The settler walked throughout the village, entering Palestinian homes, accompanied by the soldiers and settlement security guard, and then remained in the village and made phone calls until other settlers arrived.

 The settlers were accompanied by Israeli soldiers in three army jeeps and the settlement security agent of Ma’on.  Villagers from At-Tuwani arrived, protesting the settlers coming into their village.  Immediately thereafter, Israeli settlers began throwing stones at the Palestinian villagers while soldiers fired three canisters of tear gas at Palestinians.

Afterwards, the settlers drove to the entrance of At-Tuwani, and began throwing stones at passers-by on the road.