Tag: Settler violence

Palestinian Family at Um Darit Harassed and Isolated

Acts of harassment and terror are a daily fact of life for residents of Masafer Yatta, a collection of rural hamlets at the southern end of the West Bank. One example is Mohammed Abed’s family in Um Darit, where they are surrounded by a rapidly expanding network of illegal settlements.

After the Israeli escalation in October, they have been driven from their home by armed vigilantes and returned to find it largely destroyed. They have had sheep stolen, a vehicle burnt, a washing machine, water lines, and access panel destroyed, sewage system ruined, windows broken, their house turned upside down, and a Qur’an burned. Male members of the family have been imprisoned and beaten, and repeated incursions and acts of vandalism and terrorism are the norm.

Other acts of violence are more subtle: cars, shepherds, joggers, horseback riders, soldiers and armed settlers regularly traverse the closest roads and hills surrounding the house. As elsewhere, the closest settlements of Avigayil and newly established outposts establish themselves in high places and forbid Palestinians from setting foot in the hills and valleys leading to them (or other arbitrary boundaries). As a result, the majority of the family’s land is stolen, for the exclusive use of the State and the settlers.

Settler shepherd grazing on Abed's land — Settler shepherd grazing on Abed’s land

For example, this week a young settler on horseback came off the road attempting to parade through Abed’s yard, garden, and flock, startling the sheep. Solidarity activists on premises asked him what he was doing there and asked that he leave. The belligerent youth aggressively and repeatedly pushed his horse, attempting to force his way past the activists. After 5+ attempts, another settler arrived with a long gun, and menaced the family and activists. Abed states he recognizes the armed settler as one of those that wrecked his home. This settler has also been involved with many other acts of harassment against Palestinians and solidarity activists. After the family spoke loudly about calling the police, two of the three settlers left and a third stayed to graze his flock of sheep on the family’s plants. In following days, this shepherd returned daily, apparently preferring to graze his animals on Abed’s land and in the valley between Palestinians villages over the closer lush valley reserved for only settler use.

Settler on horseback in Abed's yard — Settler on horseback in Abed’s yard

Armed settler guards settler on horseback in Abed's land — Armed settler guards settler on horseback in Abed’s land

These daily incursions affirm what Indigenous activists of Turtle Island (so called Americas) have said for years: colonization is a process, not an event. It appears in the everyday disrespect for Palestinians’ safety, life, land and religion, the increasing isolation of Um Darit from other Palestinians’ villages, daily military and settler harassment, the bright flood lights from the settlement shining into the village. These constant assaults and affronts aim to displace and wear down the spirit of Abed’s family and others like them.

And yet they continue, spending time as family, coloring together, raising cabbage and animals, extending amazing generosity to others, harvesting thyme and other herbs, and remaining steadfast in their commitment to resist through existence.

Illegal Occupation and Power Abuse by Israeli Settlers in Masafer Yatta

27 February 2024 | International Solidarity Movement | Masafer Yatta

Occupation forces and settler harassing Palestinians. @ISM

On February 25th, armed illegal Israeli settlers and border police approached and violently argued with Palestinian shepherds in Al-Rakeez, Masafer Yatta, driving them away from their land.

Two Palestinian shepherds were grazing their flocks at the top of a hill, where they have been recently told by Israeli occupation forces they are allowed to stay. About thirty minutes after the shepherds started grazing, one settler in civilian clothes and wearing a machine gun approached them. Amichai – the settler- lives in a close by settlement called Abigail and he has harassed Palestinian shepherds and families living in the area in the past.

He aggressively spoke with one of the shepherds, claiming that they are not allowed to be there. Few minutes later, three settlers in military clothes showed up, escorted by three border policemen. They all intimidated the shepherds and the activists present on the scene to step back, saying that they cannot be closer than 500 meters to the top of the hill, which included almost the entire valley. They refused to show any map or evidence, even when asked, as a testament of their abuse of power and their illegal actions, especially during times of war.

Amichai, one of the illegal settlers from the settlement Abigail. @ISM

They left after they pushed back the shepherds.

The area of Masafer Yatta, as other areas as in the West Bank, suffers from the Israeli massive ethnic cleansing project which has massively accelerated since last October. Al-Rakeez is one of the 14 communities which was at risk of forcible transfer due to the establishment by the Israeli occupation of the military zone 918, but shepherds were still able to graze in the surrounding area. One month ago, exploiting wartime, the area was sealed off and the access to the road leading to the valley was closed.

In this area, villages are being teared apart increasingly. It has become impossible, or at least very dangerous, being in the land and also walking from one village to another even though they are only a few hundred meters away from each other.

Israel’s ethnic cleansing project is being lead jointly via an expansion of illegal outposts and settlements over more Palestinian land, and by armed settlers – who nowadays are mostly in army uniform – threatening and pushing Palestinians from their homes and land and prohibiting them to shepherd. Settlers, together with the Israeli army and civil administration, have blocked roads and sealed off villages, invaded houses, destroyed private property, threatened Palestinians they will kill them all if they do not leave.

Since the beginning of the genocidal attack on Gaza, 16 Palestinian communities have been forced to leave their villages in the West Bank.

The settler and occupation forces on the hill. @ISM

Illegal Settlers Attack Shepherding family in Masafer Yatta

21 February 2024 | International Solidarity Movement | Masafer Yatta

On Tuesday, February 20^th, armed illegal Israeli settlers attacked a shepherding family and their sheep near the villages of Al Jawaya and Tuwani, in Masafer Yatta. The settlers reportedly let their dog loose on the sheep, injuring three, discharged a weapon, and hit a child.

Shepherd Hamze Shawaheen reports that 2 armed assailants dressed in army fatigues (believed to be from Susiya or another nearby settlement), came upon him and his family mid-morning. They beat and pushed to the ground one of his sons and many of his sheep, and then sent a dog among them to harm and break up his flock. Hamze attempted to film, but they pointed a gun at him and threatened to shoot him. He states they fired a weapon towards the herd, but no gunshot injuries were noted. The settlers threatened to come for him and his flock, stating: “We have a picture of you and we will come for you all the time, because you called [for help].”

Hamze chose to graze his sheep in different fields later in the day, and with solidarity activists present. That afternoon, three settler vehicles pulled onto a nearby rise and waited. Hamze believes that were activists not present, they would have attacked him again.

Settler vehicles pulled onto a nearby rise while shepherd was grazing. @ISM

He states these attackers are known to him, though he does not know their names. He offered a photo taken when one came in a tractor and attempted to run over his sheep. He states that they have harassed him and his sheep on a near-daily basis, and that they assaulted him twice physically. No charges have been brought against his assailants, though he himself was arrested and held for 6 hours after one altercation. Hamze denies any wrongdoing or physical aggression towards the settlers. Until now, none of his family have been seriously injured, but the settlers have killed 2 of his sheep, one pregnant with 2 unborn baby sheep.

A photo taken from Hamze when a settler came in a tractor and attempted to run over his sheep.

Violence like this has grown common in the South Hebron Hills since October 7th, whether at the hands of settlers or military reservists. It is difficult at times to differentiate them as settlers increasingly wear military uniforms and soldiers and police appear to defer to them during confrontations. They have attacked Palestinians’ livelihoods by attacking their flocks and destroying cultivated lands. And they have assaulted and threatened children and adults, displacing and terrorizing entire villages.

Solidarity activists, both Israeli and internationals, have been present in the area for many years, but settler and military violence against Palestinian civilians persists across the West Bank. Hamze believes that the only reason he can still graze his sheep at all is because of the presence of solidarity activists: “We must have activists with us every day. This means that when we want to go out, we must have activists with us, because the settler army is afraid of being photographed by cameras like you.”

Settler Mob Ambushes Armenian Quarter

30 December 2023 | International Solidarity Movement | Occupied Jerusalem

They came covered in black and wearing ski masks. On December 28, thirty extremists, armed with clubs and tear gas, invaded the Armenian Quarter’s ‘Cow’s Garden’ (Goveroun Bardez) in the Old City of Jerusalem and attacked members of the Armenian community. The coordinated ambush, caught on film, left several seriously injured, including seminary students, as well as two Armenian youth abducted by occupation forces. The vigilantes vandalized the grounds as part of the assault. Several of the injured were transported to a hospital for medical treatment.

The Armenian community of the Old City is resisting a controversial land grab coordinated by investors with ominous links to extremist settler factions.

The pressure campaign by extremist settlers utilizes violent tactics mirroring settler attacks on Palestinian communities in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. But Armenians have also learned from their Palestinian counterparts the importance of steadfastness and unity. Every settler attack thus far has been repelled by the close-knit Armenian community.

Armenians celebrate Christmas later than Christians in the West, and have begun installing a cross and a manger in the rubble (photo credit: ISM)

Israeli settlers/soldiers abduct a Palestinian, destroy and steal property in Khallet Al-Dabaa

8 December 2023 | International Solidarity Movement | Masafer Yatta, Occupied West Bank

In the morning of December 8th, around 50 soldiers/settlers, most of whom wore masks, invaded the Palestinian village of Khallet Al-Dabaa, in Masafer Yatta, and violently attacked 5 people. The aggressors abducted Salah, a Palestinian man, father of 4 young children. They also ransacked and seriously damaged some houses and the elementary school of the village, destroying doors, windows and furniture. The soldiers/settlers stole 6000 shekels ($1600), and various property such as power drills, jackets, flashlights, binoculars. They also tore bags of food, stepped on bread and vegetables.

The soldiers/settlers then blocked the road to a nearby village and prevented an ambulance from reaching a diabetic 84-year-old Palestinian who needed urgent medical attention.

The 84-year-old Palestinian man passed out during the confrontation, while the head of the village council, Muhammad Rabai, who had called the ambulance, was arrested by the Israeli soldiers/settlers.

It was unclear whether the aggressors, who arrived in civilian vehicles, were settlers, Israeli army soldiers, or a group composed of both.

Palestinians in Masafer Yatta have been reporting that it is currently almost impossible to distinguish between army and groups of settlers, as the latter roam the area heavily armed, wearing Israeli army uniforms and balaklavas, and accompanied by soldiers.

During the attack, eyewitnesses recognized a particularly violent settler, going by the name of Eitan Yardeni, who resides in the illegal Israeli outpost of Havat Ma’on.

Colonial attacks and ethnic cleansing in Masafer Yatta

In the 1980s, Israeli authorities designated a part of Masafer Yatta as ’Firing Zone 918’, a closed military zone. This zone includes the land where Khallet Al-Dabaa is located. Since this declaration, residents have been at risk of forced eviction, house demolitions, and forcible transfer. One of the houses that was damaged during the December 8th attack has been demolished and rebuilt 5 times in the past.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), around 1,150 Palestinians lived in the firing zone in 2022, including 569 children.

In the past weeks, residents of Masafer Yatta have reported violent and continuous raids by armed settlers and Israeli soldiers, who assault and abduct Palestinians, destroy critical infrastrcutre in the villages such as power grids and water tanks, and steal property and livestock.

Palestinians have also been left homeless following demolitions by army bulldozers in several villages including Deirat, Umm Lasafa and Umm Qissa.

In October, Palestinians from the village of Khirbet Zanuta were forcibly displaced after armed settlers threatened them that they had 24 hours to leave their homes, before the settlers would come back and “kill everyone”.