Police make rare arrests in connection to settler violence against Palestinians. But the circumstances surrounding the shooting were unique, and likely played no small role in pushing police to investigate seriously. Update (April 3): Police released all of the suspects and cleared them of wrongdoing, according to The Jerusalem Post.  In a rare display of law enforcement against violent Jewish settlers, Israeli police raided the notorious illegal outpost of Esh Kodesh early Tuesday morning. Police arrested five settlers, including an active duty soldier, in connection with the near-fatal shooting of a young Palestinian man from the nearby village of Qusra…

From up close, a wall can seem smooth, unbreakable and infinite – it is the only thing in sight. The wall, a wall of despair or a wall of separation, is real. But by taking a few steps back, either physically or spiritually, cracks in the wall can come into sight. By Moriel Rothman I’ve been in the U.S. for almost two weeks now, and I’ve begun to see cracks in the "Despair-Wall" that I wasn’t seeing – or wasn’t able to see – 14 days ago. When I boarded the plane departing from Ben Gurion International Airport, it was with feelings of darkness, of…

When the police say the residents of Qusra fabricated the incident, they are actually saying the residents committed the felony of a false report. But so far, not a single Qusra resident has been interrogated for false complaints.  By Yesh Din, written by Yossi Gurvitz At the end of last week, the police came out with an unusual announcement, claiming that the torching of six cars in the village of Qusra some ten days ago was "fabricated." We reacted immediately (Hebrew), and reporter Yigal Mosco of Channel 2 had some select words for the police (Hebrew), noting their claims were…

The attack against Palestinians in Qusra yesterday was not a 'clash,' it was a pogrom – and, as usual, it took place under the aegis of the IDF. By Yesh Din, written by Yossi Gurvitz A group of settlers coming from the direction of one of the most notorious outposts, Esh Kodesh, raided the Palestinian village of Qusra yesterday (Saturday). Some six Palestinians were wounded. The Israeli media reported a "clash" in the village. There wasn't one. A clash is what happens when two sides of more-or-less equal strength face off with one another. What took place in Qusra is much…

A Palestinian man died in Israeli custody, reportedly during or after being interrogated by Israel on Saturday. The death comes amid spreading West Bank protests in solidarity with hunger striking prisoners. Near Nablus, settlers reportedly shoot a Palestinian man in the stomach. A 30-year-old Palestinian man, Arafat Jaradat, died while in Israeli custody today. According to Palestinian human rights organization Al Haq, Jaradat is believed to have died either during or shortly after he was interrogated in Meggido Prison. Speaking to the Agence France Presse, a spokeswoman for the Israel Prisons Service confirmed the death. She claimed, “It was probably…