Ethnic cleansing of Khirbet al-Samra communities

General Context:

Since October 7, 2023, Israel has intensified efforts to expel Palestinian shepherding communities from the northern Jordan Valley. This involves land takeovers, settler violence, travel restrictions, military actions, and local government harassment.

Two of the ost involved settlers in this harassement are Uri Cohen and Asael Kurnitz

Situation of Samra:

Khirbet Samra is one of the Palestinian shepherding communities in the Jordan Valley affected by settler expansion and Israeli policies. The Israeli authorities and settlers have significantly reduced Palestinian grazing areas by taking over thousands of dunams of land, installing fences, and blocking access roads.

Samra and other communities experience frequent settler attacks, including physical assaults, destruction of property, and livestock theft.

Shepherding families in Samra face increased costs for feed and water due to restricted grazing land and blocked water sources. Forced Displacement: The combined pressures of violence, land restrictions, and economic difficulties make it difficult for residents of Samra to maintain their way of life, leading to displacement.

On Summer 2024, several families from this community were expelled,when settlers from Kurnitz's outpost attacked them dozens of times in raids, pepper spray and stones.

On February 2025, the shepherd community that lives in Khirbet Samra has been suffering for weeks from harassment by settlers from Asael Kurnitz's illegal outpost, which sits on a hill across the road. Nighttime incursions, intimidation, and sheep theft,.. They attacked the Abu Aram community in Samra, and led to its expulsion after establishing an outpost ~100 meters from the community.

On February 26, settlers from the outpost arrived and began building a new outpost right above the community. Another stage in the attempted expulsion and continued ethnic cleansing in the Jordan Valley.

On March 2, 2025, the local communities decided to move away under the pressure of the daily sattler violence.

On April 26,2025, Israeli settlers stormed Khirbet Samra raised Israeli flags near Palestinian tents.

On June 11, 2025, during the night, 45 sheep were stolen by the settlers.

On June 22, 2025, youth from Asael Kurnitz's illegal outpost, "Erez Shemesh Farm", came to the home of A, a Palestinian Shepered, and proclaimed that he and his family have 8 days to evacuate their home.

On June 23, The following day, a Magav cop showed up in uniform and said they have 7 days remaining. Uri Cohen from the illegal outpost "Nof Gilad Farm" also threatened them with expulsion, and said he will expand the fence he is constructing along Alon Raod. to block Palestinian Shepereds To the lands of their community. Kurnitz and Cohen (each receive hundreds of thousands of NIS from the state) have a long history of attacking and expelling communities in the Northern Jordan Valley. A.'s family is the latest target in their sight. All of this happens with the help of state forces who push the communities to leave and arrest their residents, as part of the campaign to ethnically cleanse the Jordan Valley.

On July 3, 2025, Several Palestinian houses of Khirbet Samra were destroyed by settlers who left their signature the Star of David and the words “the people of Israel live” Fifty Palestinian shepherd families lived there. They were forced to flee"