On Tuesday, 26 January 2010, approximately ten-fifteen Israeli settlers from the Israeli settlement of Ma’on and the Israeli outpost of Havat Ma’on attacked Palestinians in the village of At-Tuwani. Israeli soldiers in three army jeeps and the settlement security agent of Ma’on accompanied the settlers. Villagers from At-Tuwani gathered to protest the settlers coming into their village and entering their homes. An Israeli soldier punched a Palestinian villager, breaking his nose. Immediately thereafter, Israeli settlers began throwing stones at the Palestinian villagers while soldiers fired three canisters of tear gas at the Palestinians. Afterwards, the settlers drove to the entrance of At-Tuwani, and began throwing stones at passersby on the road.
The day’s incident began at 9:20 a.m. when three army jeeps and a pickup truck with an Israeli settler from Havat Ma’on and the settlement security guard from Ma’on drove into At-Tuwani. The settler accused the villagers of stealing goats. Palestinians in the village told him to call the police and let police officers search village. However, the settler continued to walk throughout the village, entering Palestinian homes, accompanied by the soldiers and settlement security guard. He then made phone calls until other settlers arrived.
Women of At-Tuwani 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 their fear, the women remained where they were and told the soldiers they were welcome to arrest them as well as the men.
The day after the attack, doctors reported that the Palestinian who was punched in the face will need surgery.
