'Night guards' aim to deter settler attacks in West Bank
With attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian villages in the West Bank reaching 11,000 since 2004, the residents decided to form night guard committees to defend themselves.
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Alarm bells sound in Palestinian villages attacked by settlers after members of the Dawabsha family were burned alive in Douma, southeast of Nablus in the north of the West Bank July 31. The incident claimed the lives of Saad Dawabsha and his toddler son Ali.
This crime prompted Palestinians in some villages to form night guard committees to watch the villages and protect them against settler attacks, especially during the late night hours until dawn.
The guard committees emerged during the first intifada. Formed of young volunteers, most of whom cover their faces to protect themselves, they are deployed at the village entrances to watch for settlers.
In the village of Qusra, southeast of Nablus, the guard committees have been active for five years. These teams have become known as the most successful model in the West Bank, especially after they detained 18 settlers who had entered the village and attacked farmers on Jan. 7, 2014. The villagers beat up the settlers, who were later released after Israeli military intervention.
