24 July 2024 | International Solidarity Movement | Beita
Residents of Beita, south of Nablus, have restarted the weekly Friday demonstrations to resist the further theft of their land. In June, the Israeli security cabinet greenlighted the “legalization” of Evyatar, an outpost established on Sabih Mountain, situated on the outskirts of the town.
Beita residents have a long history of steadfastly resisting the colonization of their land. While demonstrations had almost ceased since October 7 due to the escalation of violence from Israeli occupation forces, July 5 saw a renewed push with dozens of Palestinians, accompanied by international and Israeli activists, marching down the adjacent mountain and through the valley towards the outpost.
The protestors were met with violence from the army as they burned tires in a show of protest. In response, volleys of tear gas were used to disperse the crowd, followed by rubber-coated steel bullets and live ammunition.
On the following Fridays, the army prevented the protestors from marching down the valley and instead pushed everyone back, firing tear gas which set fire to the surrounding fields of olive trees.
Field of olive trees burning due to tear gas. July 19, Beita.
Israeli settlers first tried to take over lands belonging to the town of Beita at the top of Jabel Sabih in 2013 and again in 2018, but were repelled by popular resistance mounted by the people of Beita. Settlers returned again in May 2021 to establish the Evyatar outpost, this time with documented support by Israeli forces stationed to guard them.
By July 2021, the Israeli army was forced to evict the settlers, striking a deal with them that steps will be taken to legalize the settlement at a later stage. The settlers left but the structures remained and the land was not returned to Palestinians. Settlers returned to Jabel Sabih in June 2023.
The establishment of the new outpost sparked an unprecedented wave of resistance, mobilizing thousands to demonstrate day and night in the vicinity of Jabel Sabih, trying to scale it to repel the settlers and dismantle the outpost. The Israeli response was one of intense military repression, killing 17 protestors over the past few years, causing serious injuries to thousands, including many suffering debilitating injuries, and arresting hundreds more.
The land represents a strategic spot on the road stretching all the way from Tel Aviv to the Jordan Valley, allowing for contiguity between Israeli settlements while preventing the latter for Palestinian villages.
**Martyrs**
– Mohammed Hamayyel, 15 (March 11, 2020)
– Islam Dwikat, 22 (April 9, 2020)
– Karam Amin Dwikat, 17 (October 15, 2023)
– Issa Sliman Barham, 40 (May 14, 2021)
– Tareq Ommar Snobar, 27 (May 16, 2021)
– Zakaria Maher Hamayyel, 25 (May 28, 2021)
– Mohammed Said Hamayyel, 15 (June 11, 2021)
– Ahmad Zahi Bani Shamsa, 15 (June 16, 2021)
– Shadi Ommar Sharafa, 41 (July 27, 2021)
– Imad Ali Dwikat, 38 (August 6, 2021)
– Mohammed Ali Khbeissa, 27 (September 24, 2021)
– Jamil Jamal Abu Ayyash, 32 (December 1, 2021)
– Fawaz Ahmad Hamayyel, 47 (April 13, 2022)
– Immad Jareh Bani Shamsa, 16 (October 9, 2023)
– Mohammed Ibrahim Adili, 13 (November 23, 2023)
– Maath Ashraf Bani Shamsa, 17 (February 9, 2024)
– Ameed Ghaleb Said al-Jaroub, 34 (March 22, 2024, died of a bullet wound injury to the head sustained on August 21, 2023)
