Tensions mount in Silwan as Israel detains child, threatens to take down tent

[ 17/10/2010 - 11:19 AM ]

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- Israeli forces arrested Sunday morning the child Imran Mansur, 11, while in poor medical condition in his Wadi Hilwa home in Jerusalem’s Silwan district. His parents were not allowed to escort him but were ordered to appear later at the police station. Imran is the victim of last week’s automobile assault carried out by settler leader David Be’eri who has headed a judiazation campaign in Silwan since the late ‘80’s. In a separate development, locals reported an atmosphere of caution among Palestinians in Jerusalem’s Silwan district amid talks between locals about police plans to carry out threats to take down a sit-in tent in the Bustan district. Israeli police summoned Naeem Rowaidi ordering him to remove the sit-in tent set up on the roof of his house. They granted him a grace period until 8:00am Sunday morning to take down the tent. “I did not build this tent, it is the property of the town and its people. I will not remove the tent with my own hands,” he responded to police. ----------- Second child detained seen struck down by settler   Published today (updated) 17/10/2010 18:55   JERUSALEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli police detained a 12-year-old boy on Sunday who was seen on video being struck down by an Israeli settler organization leader in the flashpoint East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan on 8 October. Omran Muhammad Mansour was taken to the Russian compound detention center in Jerusalem for questioning and was not allowed to be accompanied by his parents, Ma'an's correspondent said. Mansour was one of the two children seen being hit by Elad leader David Be'eri with his car as they threw stones at him during protests in the neighborhood during weeks of unrest following the killing of a Palestinian resident by an Israeli settler guard on 22 September. A spokesman for Israel's National Police did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment. On Tuesday, Israeli authorities detained a young boy after identifying him in footage capturing Be'eri running down the group of children in the neighborhood. The boy was spotted in news footage of the incident aired by The Associated Press, Jawad Seyam, director of Wad Helwa Information Centre in the Silwan neighborhood, told Ma'an.