Beita incident

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The Beita incident was a confrontation that took place between Israeli settlers from Elon Moreh and Palestinian residents of Beita, on 6 April 1988. Three people were killed and several others wounded.

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Incident

The incident occurred when a group of 15 teenagers from the Israeli settlement of Elon Moreh, 10 kilometers (6.2 mi) north of Beita, had gone hiking during the Passover school holiday accompanied by a guide and two guards, Romam Aldube [1] and Menachem Ilan. [2] About 10 kilometres South of Elon Moreh, whilst on land belonging to Beita village, they came across a farmer, Mousa Saleh Bani Shamseh. After an exchange of words, Romam Aldube shot him dead. The group then continued into the village. [3]

Within the village a rumour had spread that the Israelis had come to poison the village well. A crowd gathered and confronted the group. Palestinian residents said the guards provoked the incident by shooting 19-year-old, Hatem Fayez Ahmd al-Jaber who approached the Israelis. [4] Other reports describe the mother of Mousa Saleh throwing a stone at Aldube. The crowd then charged the hikers, disarming the guards and destroyed their guns. Aldube received a serious head wound. 15-year-old [5] Israeli Tirza Porat from Elon Moreh was killed during this incident. She was the first Israeli civilian casualty in the West Bank during the First Intifada.

Initial reports in the media stated that Tirza Porat had been killed by Palestinian stone throwers. An official statement spoke of the group falling 'into the hands of pogromists and murderers'. Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir attended her funeral at which there were cries of "Revenge" and "Wipe Beita off the map". [6] [7] The following day the IDF revealed that she had been accidentally shot in the head with the M16 carbine belonging to Romam Aldubi, a Jewish 26-year-old violence-prone religious nationalist. [8] It was also revealed that 'the young settlers, instructed by their elders, had rendered untruthful accounts.' [9] Despite knowing from the start who was responsible the Israeli Army dynamited 15 buildings in Beita. They also killed a sixteen-year-old boy Issam Abdul Halim Mohammad Said and arrested all male adult residents, six of whom were later deported. Romam Aldubi was brought to trial in Israel, but the charges were dropped on the grounds "that what had happened [was] already punishment enough". [10] [11] [12] [13]

Chief of Staff Gen. Dan Shomron later said that Palestinian villagers protected the Israelis from further harm. [8] Some residents helped the teenagers, including several women who hid three girls inside their homes.

A medic in a CBS News crew on site began treating the Israelis injured, some of whom were evacuated by Palestine Red Crescent Society ambulances. As well as the two fatalities several villagers suffered severe gunshot wounds. Three people were killed and several others wounded.

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References

  1. ↑ "even among the militant settlers, he has consistently stood out for his provocative conduct, which has gained him the dubious honour of being the only Jew ever subjected to a military exclusion order (whereby he is banned from entering Nablus)." Peretz Kidron, Middle East International No323, 16 April 1988.
  2. ↑ 'to show who are the masters' - TV interview quoted by Noam Chomsky, 'Fateful Triangle - The United States, Israel, and the Palestinians', Updated Edition. Pluto Press, London. 1999. ISBN   0-7453-1530-5. Page 494-495.
  3. ↑ Daoud Kuttab. Middle East International. N0 323, 16 April 1988. page 8.
  4. ↑ Daoud Kuttab, Middle East International. No 323, 16 April 1988: 'the party approached a youth working his land to ask where there was a well. The Palestinian replied "not here" and asked the settlers what they were doing on the village land. One report said that the youth told the Israeli settlers to get out of "our country". Apparently this reply angered the extremist armed guard who shot him in the stomach.'
  5. ↑ Nir, Ori (26 June 2023). "Opinion | A Dangerous Shift is Underway in the West Bank". The New York Times.
  6. ↑ Journal of Palestine Studies, Summer 1988, page 228: 'Officials announce Jewish girl was stoned to death. The Washington Post , 4/7.
  7. ↑ Peretz Kidron, Middle East International. No 323, 16 April 1988. page 7.
  8. 1 2 John Kifner (April 11, 1988). "West Bank Settlers Turn Anger Against the Army". The New York Times .
  9. ↑ Peretz Kidron, MEI, No 323. page 8.
  10. ↑ In Separate Gestures, a Mosaic of Intentions Friedman, Thomas L. The New York Times 1988-04-17
  11. ↑ Noam Chomsky, 'Power and Terror - Post-9/11 Talks and Interviews. Seven Stories Press, New York. Little More, Tokyo. 2003. ISBN   978-1-58322-590-5. page 93.
  12. ↑ Journal of Palestine Studies, vol XVII, No.4 #68 Summer 1988, page 230: Palestine Chronology, 8 April. "Israeli army reports 15-year-old Israeli killed 4/6 died when bullet from M16 rifle carried by Israeli guard struck her in head. Investigation has also shown guard, who was banned by the army from Nablus, killed 1 Palestinian and wounded another before Israeli group reached Bayta village. Some villagers reacted to news of killing by attacking Israelis with stones. Guard was wounded by rock thrown at head. Villagers took guards' guns and broke them. Other Palestinians tried to hide Israeli youths. Soldiers later broke into Bayta hospital, beating patients in search for those suspected of involvement in clash.[NYT 4/9]. (The New York Times)
  13. ↑ JoPS, page 230: 'Israeli army reports 15-year old Israeli killed 4/6 died when bullet from M-16 rifle carried by Israeli guard struck her in head.' The New York Times, 4/9.
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