(21 Dec 1999) English/Nat

There has been more tension between Jewish settlers and Palestinians over land ownership in the West Bank town of Hebron.

The two groups are disputing ownership of land near Kiryat Arba - a Jewish town near Hebron.

The dispute comes only days after Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak decided to begin moves to return the Golan Heights to Syria.

Dozens of Jewish settlers argued with Palestinians over land in Hebron on Tuesday, giving rise to further tension in the region.

The two groups are disputing ownership of land near Kiryat Arba - a Jewish town near Hebron.

The dispute began with Israeli settlers, armed with shovels and waiving Israeli flags, arriving at the site and starting to dig.

Guarded by Israeli policemen and soldiers, they chanted songs and prayed as the Palestinian who claims to own the land arrived at the scene and began arguing with the settlers.

Both the Jewish settlers and Palestinian Haza Asheb claim they have the legal documents to prove their right to the land.

Asheb seemed determined that the settlers must leave the land.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"They will not work here. If they want to make trouble we can make trouble too. They have to leave my land."
SUPER CAPTION: Haza Asheb, Palestinian

A spokesman for the Jewish settlers suggested that the rightful owner of the land was the Israeli state, which he said had set aside the land for development.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"What is going on here is that this land belongs to the state and is a part of Kiryat Araba for future development. Unfortunately, some people here think that they have the right to occupy state land and to build houses and to come and plough this land. People here demand that the law should be implemented here, as anywhere else."
SUPER CAPTION: Noam Arnon, Jewish settlers' spokesman

This latest dispute comes only days after Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak decided to begin moves to return the Golan Heights to Syria.

Jewish settlers in the Golan Heights are pleading with Israeli President Ezer Weizman not to support a land-for-peace deal with Syria, although some are prepared to negotiate the terms of their removal from the plateau.

Barak's decision last week to return the Golan Heights to Syria received a positive response from Western leaders.

The latest land dispute in Hebron will, however, leave many wondering whether they will ever be able to bring about harmony in the region.

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