By Sonja Karkar
Last night Channel 9’s “60 minutes” program aired a segment on the Jewish settlers in the Israel-occupied West Bank. It showed for the first time in graphic detail the violence meted out by the newly-arrived settlers against the Palestinians for whom this land is home and has been for their families generations back in time.
It also shows in formidable detail, Israel’s settlement enterprise as new housing complexes continue to be built dominating the Palestinian hilltops and taking precious Palestinian water.
Reporter: Liam Bartlett
Producer: Howard Sacre
It was near the top of Barack Obama’s “to-do” list. On day one in the White House, the first overseas call he made was to the Middle East, trying to get the Arab and Israeli leaders talking again.
Why the rush? Well, hundreds of thousands of Jewish settlers are moving into the West Bank, building new towns on Palestinian land. And if there’s ever going to peace in the Middle East, this is one problem that has to be fixed.
The settlers will have to move out.
But try telling them that. They’re obstinate and refuse to budge. And, as Liam Bartlett discovered first hand, when they’re cornered, they fight back with teargas and guns.
Please write a few words of praise to 60 Minutes for airing this segment:
60minutesmailbag@nine.com.au or at the reporters blog.
(Submitted by Ingrid B. Mork)