HEBRON, June 29, 2014 (WAFA) – Israeli soldiers on Friday detained a Palestinian shepherd from the south Hebron hills for allegedly throwing stones at a setter's car and forced him to stand under the hot sun for an hour while waiting for the police to arrive, Sunday said a press release by the Operation Dove.

He was later released by a popular struggle action for lack of evidence.

A Palestinian and some young shepherd were drawing water from a Palestinian owned well nearby the Israeli settlement of Carmel. While they were crossing the bypass road 317 settlers saw them and immediately called the Israeli soldiers. When the Army arrived, they stopped and detained the Palestinian, the only adult, for allegedly throwing stones in direction of the road. At about 2pm, when Palestinians from the South Hebron Hills Popular Resistance Committee and international volunteers arrived, the shepherd was handcuffed by a plastic band and was forced to stand under the sun for an hour waiting for the arrival of the police, called by the army.

After asking for explanations from the soldiers, a Palestinian member of the Popular Struggle Committee released the hands of the shepherd cutting the handcuffs and allowing him to pray. Palestinians and internationals reiterated to the soldiers the duty to show them the evidences and to consider the shepherd's declaration of innocence and not only the settlers' unfounded accusations. At 3pm the Palestinian detained was free and back home.

The well from which the children were drawing water lies between Carmel and Ma'on settlements, in an area where the Palestinian population is constantly subject to harassment acts in order to prevent them from accessing their own land.

Coordinator of the Committee said: 'The South Hebron Hills Popular Struggle Committee is watching all violations of the human rights in the area, responding by nonviolent direct actions.'

Operation Dove has maintained an international presence in At-Tuwani and the South Hebron Hills since 2004.

T.R.