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 PHRMG Hotline Update # 3/2001

Jerusalem, 4 November 2001

 Israeli Police Respond to Assault In Hebron

 On Tuesday 24 October 2001, Abdullah Ibrahim Sultan, a 75-year-old Palestinian man, was beaten by a Jewish settler in the old city of Hebron. He was taken to the hospital and filed a formal complaint with the Israeli police. The following day, he was contacted by the police who had detained a suspect in the case. Mr. Sultan identified the suspect as his attacker. The police have indicated that they will prosecute the settler for aggravated assault, an extraordinary step for the settler community in Hebron.

 After filing his complaint with the Israeli police, Mr. Sultan contacted the Settler Watch Hotline to ensure that the police would follow up on his complaint. So far, the Israeli police responded appropriately to Mr. Sultan’s complaint, and further action by the PHRMG is not required at this point, although copies of his hospital and police reports were acquired.

 The case of Mr. Sultan is evidence of the impact that the Settler Watch Hotline has had both in encouraging Palestinian victims to file criminal complaints and in pushing Israeli law enforcement agencies to bring the criminals to justice. Since its inception in July 2001, the Hotline has been particularly active in Hebron and Nablus, where numerous complaints of settler violence and police negligence in investigating such violence have been reported. Outreach efforts have been targeted to these areas. The PHRMG will continue to follow this case and Mr. Sultan will keep us advised of any developments, particularly concerning a court date.

 AHMAD EBAYAT, 21, STABBED TO DEATH IN JERUSALEM

 On 16 October 2001, some time after midnight, Ahmad Ibrahim Ebayat and M.E. had just left a billiard club in Talpiot (Jerusalem) where they both work, when they passed a group of 9 or 10 young Jewish men, some of who were wearing religious hats. When the group noticed that the two friends were speaking Arabic, one of them began throwing stones and several more joined in. The two Palestinians attempted to escape, but were followed and encircled. Both men were beaten with fists and plastic chairs and were kicked by the mob; one of the mob then stabbed Mr. Ebayat with a knife. Ebayat fell on the ground, bleeding. M.E. saw a tall Jewish man, about 23 years old, with dark hair, carrying a large knife which he had gotten from an ice-cream shop, stab Mr. Ebayat again. The mob then fled in different directions. Mr. Ebayat was taken to Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital, where he died.

 Meanwhile, another Palestinian who had been in the club that night and had witnessed what occurred, had run after the tall Israeli who had stabbed Mr. Ebayat with the long knife and caught him. The suspect, who was still in possession of the knife, was turned over to the police. M.E. was also escorted to the police station, where he gave a detailed account of what had occurred.

 M.E. contacted the Settler Watch Hotline to follow up on this case. On 23 October 2001, Attorney Audrey Bomse of the PHRMG wrote to Shmuel Ben-Ruby of the Jerusalem District Police to inquire about the status of the investigation. To date, despite a telephone reminder on 31 October, the Jerusalem District Police has failed to reply to our letter and confirm that an investigation has been opened into this murder.

Update # 3/2001

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