Ha'aretz: Minister's aide calls Hebron riots a 'pogrom'

Col. (res.) Moshe Givati, an adviser on settlement security for Public Security Minister Uzi Landau, yesterday termed the rioting that took place during the funeral of Elazar Leibowitz, "a pogrom against the Arabs of Hebron, with no provocation on the Palestinian side."

Givati, who attended the funeral on Sunday, said he witnessed "brutal acts" and rejected absolutely explanations by the Jewish Community of Hebron Council spokesmen who said they were acting in self-defense against Palestinian stone-throwing.

Givati, who was commander of the Hebron brigade during the first intifada, has good relations with the settlement movement leadership. He was appointed six months ago by Landau to help smooth relations between the police and the settlement community. Most of his efforts are in Hebron, where relations between the police and the settlers are particularly strained.

Givati was in Hebron on Saturday night, in advance of the funeral for Leibowitz, an army first sergeant killed in a Palestinian ambush on Friday outside the city. The violence began already on Saturday night, he says, when a group of Jewish youths invaded a Palestinian house in the city, and burned and vandalized the possessions inside. Police and Border Patrol called to the scene arrested three of the youths, who included Leibowitz's brothers. They were released a few hours later.

Givati says the police and army deployed properly for the funeral, but at the request of the settlers, the police maintained a low profile, letting the other security forces - Israel Defense Forces troops - provide security for the funeral procession.

The violence began after the takeover of the podium where eulogies were being given in the garden outside the Tomb of the Patriarchs by a group of youths, many of them friends of the Hebron-born Leibowitz. They began calling for revenge.

"At most, and I even doubt that, a small rock was thrown from the direction of the Palestinian houses. And that was enough. It was the signal for the thugs to charge," Givati said.

He said that "the Palestinians did not throw any rocks or boulders at the funeral procession. There were 20 or 30 people, who were mostly not from Hebron," he said. He said he suspects most are from the outposts in the area of Itamar and Yitzhar. "For some reason they were all carrying army-issue weapons, and they charged into the Palestinian houses.

"That's when the fracas began. I saw everything from very close range. There were long bursts of fire by the Israelis - into the air and at the houses."

It was during that fire that 14-year-old Nibin Jamjum was killed by a bullet to her head, and a Palestinian boy was stabbed. IDF sources say that these two and the other wounded - 15 Palestinians in all were reported wounded, and an equal number of police were hurt - were casualties of the Jewish violence. "Dozens of thugs, including youths from Hebron, burst into Arab houses for no reason. They broke windows, destoryed property and threw stones. These people were there for the purpose of making a pogrom," said Givati.

Soldiers, police and Border Patrol troops who arrived on the scene tried to arrest the rioters, but were attacked. "Police officers were beaten," Givati said. "I am an alumnus of the first intifada and I never saw anything like this. A dozen thugs knocked down a policeman and kicked at him."

The police arrested some of the rioters, but the police car carrying them out was blocked by their friends, who damaged the police car. Boys and girls from Hebron kept up a stream of curses at the soldiers. They were called "Amalek's soldiers," and warned, "you're next."

Givati believes the police and army "were too restrained. Considering the events, much more force should have been used. We cannot allow such harm to the rule of law. It's inconceivable that soldiers and police be cursed that way." He said that settlement leaders from outside the Hebron area were also shocked by the level of violence displayed by the settlers in Hebron.

The police said yesterday that the Palestinian Authority police force is not yet cooperating with an Israeli investigation into the rioting and the death of the Palestinian girl. They said that two of the girl's brothers were also wounded by gunfire, apparently when they tried to rescue their sister.

The police say the PA police have so far refused to hand over medical forensic information from the wounded, which the police want to use to help identify assailants.

But despite the difficulties, police said they are proceeding with their inquiry and that arrests are expected in the coming days. Although a Jerusalem Magistrate's Court released four suspected settlers, two of whom were minors, police are plowing through photographs of the riots, and questioning eyewitnesses.

The PA is not co-operating because contrary to the claims of the leftists shill (who worked to expell Jews while "gaurding" them) in the "Peace Now" run Ha'aretz, the mourners were attacked.

There were hundreds of witnesses and people sent to the hospital with bruises, abrassions, and broken bones.

I love it when the Israel left takes a more pro-Judenrein position than the Arabs.

The PA is not co-operating because contrary to the claims of the leftists shill (who worked to expell Jews while "gaurding" them) in the "Peace Now" run Ha'aretz, the mourners were attacked.

Moshe Givati is a "leftist shill"? LOL, now that's funny. He not only works for the Likud security minister, as recently as last fall he was criticizing the IDF for being "too lenient" in the Bethlehem area, and advocated expelling Arafat and his cronies.

Spin all you like about Ha'aretz, but this is about the most reliable source there is from an Israeli point of view. He once ran the IDF command there, he's the liason between the settlers and the police, and he was sort of there.

-Eric

perhaps in exchange for a PA guarantee of access to the Tomb of the Patriarchs.

You can't be that naive. When has the PA ever made a "guarantee" of anything (including all their written agreements) and actually lived up to it?

You don't have to be a psychic or a rocket scientist to predict the consequences of ~~evacuating~~ expelling the Jews from Hebron. Not only will this not stop terrorism, but the jihadists, in a frenzy of triumphalism, will be inspired to commit more acts of murder to evacuate other settlements, like Jerusalem, Netanya, Haifa and Tel Aviv.

Moshe Givati is dead wrong. A rock IS a deadly weapon. Its just like a minister's aide to score public relations points with Israel's leftist media by accusing the Jews of Hebron of starting a pogrom before the case has even been completely investigated. The Israeli government if anything bends over backwards to protect PLO nazis. All this in a country where Jews have to go out on the roads every day at great risk to their lives. If the violence weren't so blatantly one sided, Givati might might have a point. But despite all the terrorism, despite all the provocations, the assaults, and the attempted and successful murders committed by Arabs, Jews have been extremely restrained in their reactions. And for Givati to suggest the events in Hebron constitute a pogrom is an insult to a community that was wiped out by the Arabs in 1929. He should offer them an apology for daring to suggest Jews intend to do to Arabs what the Arabs having been doing to Jews every day of the year for decades.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=27469
Arabs Bombard Mourners At Hevron Funeral

A violent exchange took place between Arabs and Jews in Hevron yesterday, as mourners gathered to bury slain IDF Sgt. Elazar Leibovitz. Arabs murdered Leibovitz at the Zief junction near Hevron on Friday. As the funeral procession left the Cave of the Patriarchs (Me'arat HaMachpela), on its way to the town's ancient Jewish cemetery, Arabs standing on the roofs and balconies of their homes nearby began heaving cement blocks, boulders, planks and iron rods down onto the mourners.

In response the soldiers and armed civilians in the procession began firing warning shots in the air, and when the bombardment would not yield, they began shooting in the direction of the Arabs hurling the objects. Arab sources say that a 14-year-old girl standing on the balcony of her home was killed by gunfire, while her brother was wounded. Hevron resident Uri Karzen, who took part in the funeral procession told Arutz Sheva today, that it is "absolutely possible" that the girl who died took part in the attack on the mourners. Karzen also stressed that the soldiers and civilians who began firing were doing so in self-defense since the Arabs were lobbing their heavy objects from the rooftops of three story buildings above the procession.

The initial melee lasted for ten to fifteen minutes. Additional violent exchanges took place at various points throughout the funeral procession. Between 10-15 security force officials were injured throughout the day. Police also arrested four Israelis who took part in the violence. Last night the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court ordered the release of the Israelis, pending an investigation into the incident. Israeli officials have called on the PA to assist in the investigation.

Yesterday also marked the anniversary of the 1929 massacre in which Arabs murdered 67 members of the Jewish community of Hevron. Leibovitz was laid to rest alongside those victims.

Moshe Givati is a "leftist shill"? LOL, now that's funny. He not only works for the Likud security minister, as recently as last fall he was criticizing the IDF for being "too lenient" in the Bethlehem area, and advocated expelling Arafat and his cronies.
He has also called for a pull back of "settlments". Surpise, suprise, he blames the Jews of Hebron.

Spin all you like about Ha'aretz, but this is about the most reliable source there is from an Israeli point of view.
It is the equivalent of the Washington Post.

He once ran the IDF command there, he's the liason between the settlers and the police, and he was sort of there.
And he is now a political hack who is giving a version of events at odds with that of everyone else, but one which seems to fit his agenda.

Moshe Givati is a "leftist shill"? LOL, now that's funny. He not only works for the Likud security minister, as recently as last fall he was criticizing the IDF for being "too lenient" in the Bethlehem area, and advocated expelling Arafat and his cronies.
He has also called for a pull back of "settlments". Surpise, suprise, he blames the Jews of Hebron.

If that's your definition of "leftism", then communism has truly prevailed. Every nation in the world including the US has called for a pullback.

Spin all you like about Ha'aretz, but this is about the most reliable source there is from an Israeli point of view.
It is the equivalent of the Washington Post.

The Post interviewing one of John Ashcroft's top people about the misbehavior of a Right to Life group, perhaps.

He once ran the IDF command there, he's the liason between the settlers and the police, and he was sort of there.
And he is now a political hack who is giving a version of events at odds with that of everyone else, but one which seems to fit his agenda.

Actually, if he's telling the truth it's slightly better for your side. If he's spinning it's extremely doubtful he's doing it on his own. If this is government spin the settlements may be on their way out.

Seems like the police are focusing on the settlers today: Police chief orders crackdown on settlers after Hebron riots.

-Eric

Even if I accept his report as accurate-- the fact that this single event is so news worthy, and used to portray Israelis in a negative light; it illustrates the bias of the international news media, particularly the European media (Not this post-- but read accounts from the BBC and French papers). Another bombing this morning at the Hebrew University. How much media play will it recieve and what will the spin be?

Europe< "See Israel's policy of retaliation and targeted assasinations are responsible for Palistinian agression." Barf.

Even if I accept his report as accurate-- the fact that this single event is so news worthy, and used to portray Israelis in a negative light; it illustrates the bias of the international news media, particularly the European media (Not this post-- but read accounts from the BBC and French papers). Another bombing this morning at the Hebrew University. How much media play will it recieve and what will the spin be?

One thing it does demonstrate is that there are people on both sides with absolutely no interest in peace. It demonstrates that the Israelis are getting a little tired of the zealots, and perhaps are more willing to compromise vis a vis some the settlements.

The bombing, I hate to say, isn't a new development. It was probably Hamas. Hamas was certain to retaliate for the IDF getting Shehada, and as they are opposed to anything resembling peace for a number of reasons, it followed that their retaliation would come close after a significant gesture by the Israelis towards the PA.

-Eric

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