Broken glass around baby seat
Photo: Courtesy of Samaria Settlers Committee
Settlers say survived near lynching in Silwan
Family in capital for Jerusalem Day festivities say had vehicle stoned by Palestinians while in east of the city, claim Border Guard officers refused to chase assailants
Has the sensitive situation in the capital led the police to refrain from enforcement in its eastern neighborhoods? A Jewish family from the outpost of Kida claims so, and on Thursday said it survived a "lynching attempt" near Silwan on Jerusalem Day.
The Yakobi family filed a complaint stating that Palestinians pelted their vehicle with rocks and stones near the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan on Wednesday.
While the Border Guard said it was unfamiliar with the incident, the family claimed that after it managed to escape the scene, officers near the site refused to chase after the assailants.
The family was in Jerusalem to take part in the national holiday's events on Wednesday, and was hosted by relatives who live in the city. They made their way from the Nof Zion neighborhood towards Silwan, when a group of Palestinian youths suddenly lunged at them.
"Traffic was moving slowly and there were Arab vehicles in front of us and behind us, and a few minutes later some 10 youths about 15-year-old began throwing stones at our car," said Haim, the family's father.
Vehicle's smashed window (Photo: Samaria Settlers Committee)
According to Haim, the incident ended without serious injures, after a large stone smashed the back window of the car and missed their two-and-a-half-year-old infant's head by mere centimeters.
"The baby seat with placed so that its front was facing the attackers. They saw a small child looking at them through the window, and still threw stones at us – which, luckily, only caused him light injures from the broken glass," Haim said.
'Not familiar with incident'
A short while later, Haim managed to make his way out of the area, when, just several hundred meters from the scene of the incident, he noticed a squad car carrying Border Guard officers."I stepped on the gas and managed to get out of the traffic jam. I drove quickly and I asked the officers to open a chase after the youths who attacked us," he said.
But according to Haim, the officers told him they were not allowed to open a chase, so as not to create any tension in the region.
"The officer there even told me that they were also attacked by stones thrown by Arabs at their jeep. They were simply indifferent and in this way may have failed to prevent an attack on another vehicle. It is plain audacity," he said.
The Border Guard said it was unfamiliar with the incident as it was reported, and stated that the district commander was looking into the report.
"If the report turns out to be true, the incident, as was handled by the officer, opposes all the Border Guard's values. We will examine it thoroughly and know will know how to respond after the facts are examined and verified."
Meanwhile, Haim filed a complaint with the police, and reported the damage that was caused to his vehicle. "A application was filed with the property tax authority as well, to have us declared victims of terror acts," the father said.
