Settlers set house on fire in Burin
A burnt book.
The damage was extensive.
The peculiar remains of the firebombs.
After we had heard of settler attacks against Burin last week, we decided to visit the village as soon as possible. We went to visit the Soufa family and sat in the garden with the mother of the family, three sons, a neighbour and his two small boys. One of the sons spoke some English and was able to tell us the following story.
Last week, on Thursday the 24th of July, settlers were throwing stones from the road at the two houses next to the Soufa family. From time to time, they would throw stones at Palestinian cars on the main road as well. That same day, the family found that their electricity cable had been cut.
Today, Monday the 28th of July, a house was set on fire in Burin. The house is the last one before the olive groves start climbing up the hill. People had seen settlers moving in the area prior to the fire which took place in the morning hours, between 4:30-7:00 am. Fortunately, no one was injured since the family had not been at home.
In the afternoon, approximately 40-60 settlers came down from Bracha settlement and attacked two shepherds. The Israeli police came and the settlers withdrew.
The Soufa family is very worried about the increase in settler attacks. They requested a video camera and we suggested they get in touch with B'Tselem to participate in the 'Shooting Back' project. B'Tselem has already distributed two cameras in the village, but they are located on the other side of it.
When the villagers asked us to visit the burnt house, we felt a sense of trust and expectation from EAPPI during these kinds of incidents. We also understood that they would like to see EAPPI show more presence in Burin and Asira.
We went to the house. Many people, probably neighbours, were around. The family was still not present but the sister of the woman living there, a nurse, showed us the rooms that were burnt: the bedroom, the living room and the kitchen. We could see broken glass and the space in the window bars that enabled the settlers to throw the firebombs into the house. In all of the burnt rooms we saw the strange remains of the fire setting bombs: bundles of thin threads and black burn marks on the ceiling and high up on the walls. Furniture was also burnt: beds, kitchen utensils, books and electric appliances – everything was black. The smell was strong even though all windows were open.
The police had been there to make a report. The father of the family, a teacher, was still with them at the police station.
His sister in law told us that yesterday had been the couple's third wedding anniversary. The wife is pregnant and had been sent to hospital by the doctor to prevent a miscarriage. After hearing that, we were horrified to see the baby cot completely burnt. Underneath the cot’s mattress, the father had kept 10.000 JD, which he had saved up to build his own house in the village, since he felt he paid too much rent in this one. Now the money was burnt as well. In addition, the foundations of the new house had been hit by a rocket that had been fired by a settler some weeks ago (it made the news because it was the first time that settlers had shot homemade rockets at a Palestinian target). Why was this family hit twice? We found no answer from his friends.
An old couple from an organisation, presented to us as "a '48 Palestinian organisation," was there as well as a woman from the press. We took photos to document the incident and left after we had promised to return to Asira and Burin next Friday.
