A/HRC/25/38 Residents of Mikhmas, who have experienced repeated violence by settlers from surrounding outposts and settlements, had only recently begun using the tunnel again, after hearing that the settlers had been made to leave Migron by the Israeli authorities – although the outpost had only been partially evacuated. As the shepherd passed through the tunnel, he encountered six male settlers, who beat him with metal pipes. The settlers also attacked his herd of sheep, killing two of them and causing five pregnant sheep to lose their lambs. The shepherd was eventually found unconscious next to the tunnel and taken to Ramallah Medical Complex, where he remained for four days, receiving 70 stitches in his head. Similar incidents of physical assault by settlers have been documented by OHCHR and other organizations.107 Law enforcement and accountability 42. Attacks by settlers have occurred repeatedly in the same areas and often at the same times of year, raising concerns about the effectiveness of action by the Israeli authorities to prevent such violence.108 For example, Palestinian residents of Burin and neighbouring villages in the Nablus governorate have repeatedly faced attacks on their person and property by settlers from the nearby Yitzhar and Bracha settlements.109 43. These trends have been thoroughly documented by the United Nations and other organizations. However the Israeli authorities still fail to protect Palestinian communities from such incidents.110 The large and increasing number of injuries to Palestinians caused by ISF in settler-related incidents indicates that, in the context of settler violence, security forces commonly intervene to disperse Palestinians, rather than to protect them from attacks.111 These continuing failures heighten concerns previously expressed by the Secretary-General about the willingness of Israeli security forces to undertake law enforcement in a non-discriminatory manner.112 44. This situation is compounded by the persistent absence of effective accountability for attacks by settlers.113 In practice, not much has changed since the Secretary-General’s previous report to the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/20/13), with the Israeli authorities continuing to fail to investigate cases effectively as required by international law. In figures recently released by the NGO Yesh Din, a staggering 97.9 per cent of cases of damage to Palestinian trees and agricultural crops between 2005 and 2013 were closed without 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 16 See www.alhaq.org/documentation/weekly-focuses/732-palestinian-shepherd-beaten-with-metalrods-by-settlers; www.btselem.org/settler_violence/20131030_assault_on_naasan_family. The highest numbers of incidents are recorded each year in areas close to settlements, notably Nablus, Hebron and Ramallah governorates (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs figures). See www.unrwa.org/sites/default/files/olive_harvest_continued_settler_attacks_against_refugee_livelihoo ds.pdf. See also A/67/375, paras. 31-33 and A/68/513, paras. 44-47; Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs map, Palestinian villages affected by violence from Yitzhar Settlement and Outposts, available from www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_yitzhar_map_february_2012_map_english.pdf. For cases on 16 March, 30 April, 3 May and July 2013, see www.btselem.org/settlers_violence/20130529_sf_fail_to_protect_palestinians_from_settlers www.btselem.org/settler_violence/20131022_settlers_harras_faber_family www.btselem.org/settler_violence/20130806_settler_assault_omar_hushiyah. According to figures provided by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. A/67/375, paras. 30-36. A/68/513, paras. 42-52; A/67/375, paras. 37-39; A/66/364, paras. 21-33.