Illegal Jewish settlers in the Old Town of Hebron (Al-Khalil) hurled verbal abuse at the Spanish Foreign Minister this week when he tried to visit the area to assess the situation of Palestinian residents. The settlers blocked the progress of the delegation which was accompanied by the Governor of Hebron, Kamel Hamid. According to the media officer of the Office of the Hebron Governorate, Fatima Abu Rahma, the settlers held a demonstration with banners calling for the Foreign Minister to leave the area.
Ms Abu Rahma said that an altercation occurred between the settlers and the delegation during which the settlers swore in several languages at the Spanish minister and the governor. Israeli security forces and police intervened and dispersed the settlers. It is believed that the latest demonstration was part of a deliberate policy by the illegal settlers to discourage delegations from seeing for themselves the conditions in which the Palestinians are forced to live in the Old Town.