Dispute On The West Bank

Flag Raised — AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen

A Palestinian demonstrator chants slogans during a demonstration in Hebron, Nov. 2, 2008. With its dueling street names in Hebrew and Arabic, its shuttered Palestinian stores spray painted with stars of David and the tomb of a shared patriarch split between the warring worshippers of two religions, the city of Abraham has taken the feud between Israelis and Palestinians to an absurd extreme.

Street

A Palestinian man walks past Jewish settlers in the West bank city of Hebron, Nov. 26, 2008. Hebron is home to some 650 Jewish settlers who live in fortified enclaves guarded by Israeli troops in the heart of the city of 180,000 Palestinians.

A House On Disputed Land

Jewish settlers gather around a Rabbi during a religious study in a disputed building in Hebron, Nov. 26, 2008. Thirteen Jewish families, who have been living in the four-story house for a year and a half, are resisting an eviction order from an Israeli court.

Ownership

A Jewish settler stands in the doorway of the disputed building in Hebron, Nov. 26, 2008. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak says a group of Jewish settlers will be forcibly evicted if they refuse to leave on their own.

Map

Jewish settlers are seen next to a map of the Hebron area outside the disputed building, Nov. 23, 2008.

Documents

American Jewish settler Morris Avraham shows an alleged sales agreement that he claims proves his ownership of the disputed building. The purported Palestinian seller denies the claim, and Israeli authorities have not recognized the sale as legal.

Graffiti

An Israeli soldier paints over graffiti on a mosque wall in Hebron, Nov. 20, 2008. Graffiti slurring Islam's Prophet Mohammed was found on the mosque near the site of a disputed house. The Hebrew writing reads: "Don't fear."

Troops

Israeli soldiers escort Jewish settlers during clashes with Palestinians near a disputed house occupied by settlers in Hebron, Nov. 29, 2008.

Struggle

A young Jewish settler scuffles with an Israeli soldier during clashes with Palestinians near a disputed house occupied by settlers in Hebron, Nov. 29, 2008. Hundreds of supporters (mostly young) have come to the Jewish enclave in the past week to try to prevent the evacuation of the building, raising tensions.

Dance

A Jewish settler carries a Torah Scroll as others dance on their way to a disputed house in Hebron, Dec. 1, 2008. Tensions mounted Monday amidst reports Israeli forces were preparing to evict the settlers from the building; at least two Palestinian cars were set ablaze and a Muslim cemetery defaced in what one security source described as a riot. Israeli forces did not intervene.

Masked

A Jewish settler throws a stone from a rooftop overlooking Palestinian houses in Hebron, Dec. 2, 2008. Hundreds of settlers took to the streets near the disputed building and hurled stones towards Palestinians, as some Palestinians hurled stones back.

Casualty

A Palestinian woman is evacuated after she was injured during clashes in Hebron, Dec. 2, 2008. At least two dozen Israelis and Palestinians were injured. Israeli Border Police threw stun grenades to disperse the crowd, wounding one settler.

Weapons

Masked Jewish settlers throw stones at Palestinian houses in Hebron, Dec. 2, 2008. Seventeen Israelis and Palestinians were arrested, police said.