Settlers chase shepherd off Hebron land

Israeli settlers chased Palestinian shepherds off their land in southern Hebron on Saturday, the third such confrontation in a week, eyewitnesses said. A group of five Israelis from the settler outpost Havat Maon pushed the shepherd pasturing his flocks down Meshaha Hill, which is cultivated by nearby village al-Tuwani, volunteers from Italian peace group Operation Dove said. The group, one of whom wore a mask, threatened the shepherd not to return, they added. Residents of the outpost had assaulted groups of Palestinian shepherds last Monday and Wednesday in the same area, the peace group said, adding that it had documented 25 incidents of Havot Maon settlers harassing Palestinians in 2012.