European Observer Removed after Slapping Hebron Child

A ten-year-old Jewish Israeli boy was slapped across the face sending
his kippah flying to the ground last week in Hebron. The attacker was the legal adviser
for the Temporary International Presence in Hebron, a group of mostly European observers
who have been stationed in the city since the 1990s. 



The attacker has since been reprimanded and has returned to his home country of
Switzerland with the Swiss ambassador sending an apology letter to the Jewish community
of Hebron. The incident, which was caught on video, took place across from the Admot
Yishai neighborhood of Hebron, a Jewish  community located next to the Tel Hebron /
Tel Rumeida archaeological park. The boy was identified in one
news outlet as the cousin of Shalhevet Pass, the infant girl
who was murdered by an Arab terrorist sniper in 2001. 

 

 

The Breaking the Silence (Shovrim Shtika) organization which often leads
tours in the city, came to the neighborhood and allegedly began provoking local Jewish
residents. News reports have stated that TIPH observers are not supposed to walk through
Jewish neighborhoods, however the TIPH legal adviser joined the Breaking the Silence
tour in plain clothes, as opposed to his regular uniform. Dean
Issacharoff, spokesman for Breaking the Silence lead the tour. The group later
released a statement saying: “Breaking the Silence condemns any violence
against children, even when Naftali Bennett calls for shooting eight-year-old
children.”



Uri Karzen, director of
the Jewish community of Hebron called for the removal of both TIPH and Breaking the
Silence from the city.

 

The TIPH legal adviser was a native of Switzerland and the Swiss Ambassador
to Israel sent a
letter to the Jewish Community of Hebron which reads as follows:



You are certainly aware of the incident that took place in Hebron two days
ago, whereby a Swiss member of the TIPH slapped a young boy. Though this was no doubt
preceded by some provocation on the side of the settlers — the action of this TIPH
member is totally unacceptable. It is expected from our TIPH members that they keep
their nerves in any circumstance.



I wish to express my apologies for this gesture. I also wish to let you know that the
concerned individual is leaving the country today.



I count on you to help avoid the situation from deteriorating. It is impressive that
interactions between TIPH personnel and the settlers be respectful and that the
provocations stop.



It is a privilege to be able to communicate with you in this effective manner. I hope we
can continue to work together towards a future of peace for everyone.



I take this occasion to wish you a peaceful and serene Shabbat.



Sincerely,



Jean-Daniel Ruch



The Jewish community of Hebron welcomed Ruch’s apology while calling for “a neutral and
less hostile stance toward the Jewish community in Hebron.”  In a press release,
the community added that TIPH “receives a mandate for its activities
from the Israeli Foreign Ministry and is supposed to supervise the ‘fulfillment of the
Hebron Accords.’ In practice, the organization repeatedly issues false, biased, and
hostile reports, which are viewed from time to time with the aid of provocations and
even acts of terrorism.

Despite this, the observers of the organization enjoy diplomatic status… the
grave incident reveals the depth of cooperation between Breaking the Silence and hostile
international observers. Behind the innocent disguise was hatred, hypocrisy, and
violence. Our children and our soldiers deserve protection from such hostile
elements.

 

TIPH is comprised of citizens from Norway, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey. It was
conceived in 1994 and deployed in 1997 in accordance with the Hebron Accords which divided the
city. According to their official website, their tasks are: to promote by its
presence a feeling of security to the Palestinians of Hebron; to help promote stability
and an appropriate environment conducive to the enhancement of the well-being of the
Palestinians of Hebron and their economic development; to observe the enhancement of
peace and prosperity among Palestinians; to assist in the promotion and execution of
projects initiated by the donor countries; to encourage economic development and growth
in Hebron; to provide reports ; and to coordinate its activities with the Israeli and
Palestinian authorities.

 

On March 26, 2002 two TIPH observers, Catherine Berruex of Switzerland and Turgut Cengiz
Toytunç of Turkey were killed
in an ambush shooting by a Palestinian Arab gunman near Halhul, a city
adjacent to Hebron. Three members of TIPH were riding westward on the Trans-Judea
highway when they came under fire from short range, although their car was clear marked
with the letters TIPH.



Huseyin Ozaslan, also from Turkey, who was injured in the attack, related that he
clearly saw the attacker, who was wearing the uniform of the PA’s security forces and
was carrying a Kalashnikov assault rifle. “We shouted that we are observers, members of
TIPH,” he said. “But he did not hear us and continued to shoot.”



On February 8, 2006 following an attack
on their headquarters by rioting Palestinian Authority residents, all TIPH
observers were temporarily withdrawn from Hebron. TIPH members began to resume their
duties in April 2006.



Breaking the Silence, according to their website is dedicated “to expose the public to
the reality of everyday life in the occupied territories… Our work aims to bring an
end to the occupation.”



The organization is often criticized for largely relying on anonymous testimonies from
former Israeli soldiers of alleged abuses by the IDF and for receiving funding from
European countries and left-wing groups.

 

NOTES:

 

* ‘Observer’ who
slapped boy in Hevron has left Israel

* Letter of Apology
from Swiss Ambassador – FULL TEXT

* International
observer expelled from Israel for slapping Jewish boy in
Hebron

* Swiss
ambassador issues lukewarm apology to Hebron Jews after activist slaps
child

* Police
Arrest Multinational Force Official Who Smacked Jewish 10-Year-Old in
Hebron

* Legal
Adviser of Multinational Force in Hebron Assaults 10-Year-Old Jewish
Kid

* After
TIPH Official Hit Jewish Child, Swiss Ambassador Blames the Settlers of
Hebron

* Calls to Close
International Force in Hebron (Hebrew)

* פעיל שמאל תועד
סוטר לילד בחברון (Hebrew, with video)

* תוקף
הילד היהודי בסיור שוברים שתיקה עזב את הארץ (Hebrew, with
video)

* La
police arrete le conseiller juridique du TIPH mouvement extreme gauche qui a frappe un
enfant juif-de 10 ans  Hebron (French, with
video)

* Breaking the Silence
activist attacks child during Hevron tour

* Europeans confront
Temporary International Presence in Hevron – March 2018

* TIPH
Members Killed in Terrorist Attack – March 2002

* TIPH
observers leave Hebron after riot – February 2006