Israeli settlers near the village of Yanoun are reported to come down to the village with weapons to make their presence known, according to the Ecumenical Accompaniers who live in Yanoun.
The Guardian says that the IDF is training and arming settlers with tear gas and stun grenades in anticipation of Palestinian violence that might occur this fall when the Palestinians attempt to become a recognized state by the UN.
Residents of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which are illegal according to international law, are already often armed and/or have private security teams guarding them. In addition, they are in constant coordination with the IDF. Palestinians and Israeli human rights groups like Rabbis for Human Rights and BtSelem monitor Israeli settler violence against Palestinians as an ongoing problem that is not adequately dealt with by Israel.
The Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI), a program of the World Council of Churches in which the ELCA participates, accompanies Palestinians and Israelis in nonviolent actions and carries out advocacy efforts to end the occupation. Participants monitor and report violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. They offer protection through a nonviolent presence and stand in solidarity with the churches and all those struggling against the occupation. Find out more about the US Ecumenical Accompaniers and how you might participate.
