Nazeeha, a Palestinian wife and mother, lives in the center of
the old city of Hebron between the Ibrahimi mosque (cave of Machpela)
and the settlement enclave of Avraham Avinu where militant Israeli
settlers live. In mid December following an alleged bomb explosion
near Avraham Avinu (no bomb was found and no one was hurt), an
Israeli soldier lookout post was installed on her rooftop. A metal
staircase was added to connect the rooftop to another post below
where there is direct access to the Avrahim Avinu settlement.
Nazeeha and her family are denied access to their rooftop; the
soldiers however have unrestricted access to Nazeeha's family's
roof. The soldiers also allow settlers access to the rooftop.

In the past month since the installation of the soldier post,
Nazeeha and her family have endured numerous incidents of harassment
from both Israeli settlers and Israeli soldiers. She and her husband
have registered several complaints to the Israeli authorities,
including:

1). Israeli soldiers urinated in the rooftop water tank. TIPH
(Temporary International Presence - Hebron)
observers were allowed access to the roof where they verified that a
yellow foamy substance that smelled like urine was in the water
tank.
2) Israeli soldiers made obscene comments and exposed themselves
to her.
3) Israeli soldiers and settlers broke the glass in the
rooftop structure over the entry to her house.

I visited Nazeeha Saturday afternoon (January 31) at 1:30. The
most recent incident of harassment was still in evidence. Broken
glass was still in the entryway. At 10 o'clock in the morning,
according to Nazeeha, settlers and soldiers had broken the rooftop
glass. Later in the morning the two soldiers entered her home where
a neighbor boy was visiting her and her children. One of the
soldiers pointed to the neighbor boy and said, "his is too small; you
need a big one like mine" as he exposed himself. Nazeeha ran crying
into the street. She returned with a TIPH observer who was also
treated rudely. (The TIPH observer could not register a complaint to
Israeli authorities Saturday because of Shabbat; however, later in
the afternoon, both the Israeli authorities and TIPH returned to talk
with her and hear her complaint.)

Nazeeha was trembling and crying as she talked with the Israeli
authorities, who appeared to be listening carefully and treating her
with respect. There was a woman soldier present. (In the past her
complaints have been lightly dismissed.)

I visited Nazeeha again Tuesday evening. TIPH personnel were
also visiting with her husband. "Kul ishi quiesce?" (is everything
good?) I asked. "Kul ishi quiesce" she answered.

Later we learned from a journalist that the offending soldier
had been arrested and had been sentenced to eight days in prison for
breaking the glass. We were also told that no charges were filed for
sexual harassment. CPT is grateful that the Israeli authorities
apprehended and charged the soldier who vandalized the rooftop. We
ask that the investigation of the sexual harassment continue.

It is tragic when a militia of armed settlers move into a
neighborhood and try to occupy the adjacent houses. It is an added
tragedy when soldiers are called in to protect the armed settlers.
It is a travesty of justice when soldiers are part of the harassment
of vulnerable women and children of the neighborhood.