HEBRON, July 19, 2011 (WAFA) - Three settlers attacked two members of Operation Dove and one member of the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) with clubs and stones in the Meshakha valley outside of At-Tuwani, a village in the South Hebron Hills on 18 July 2011 around 6:35 pm, Tuesday said an Operation Dove press release.

The settlers were observed coming out of the outpost of Havat Ma'on covering their faces with scarves then running with clubs in their hands toward two Palestinian shepherds who were grazing their sheep in a valley nearby, the release said.

It said that the masked settlers could not catch the shepherds who were alerted of the approaching danger. The attackers then turned and ran toward the internationals who entered the valley to intervene and document the attack. Three young masked settlers armed with clubs made threats and then attempted to strike the internationals as they filmed their actions. As the internationals retreated the settlers begin throwing stones narrowly missing their targets. No internationals were injured at the end.

It said that this incident follows a similar attack of July 13, 2011 where three settler youth attacked shepherds. This is also the fifth violent settler attack from the outpost of Havat Ma'on within the last 30 days against internationals and Palestinians

Operation Dove and Christian Peacemaker Teams have maintained an international presence in At-Tuwani and South Hebron Hills since 2004.

To be noted,  according to the Fourth Geneva Convention, the Hague Regulations, the International Court of Justice, and several United Nations resolutions, all Israeli settlements and outposts in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal. Most settlement outposts, including Havat Ma'on (Hill 833), are considered illegal also under Israeli law.

F.R.