This village in Masafer Yatta area was regularly harass by violent settlers in order to steal their land. The police's deliberate daily disregard for these crimes enables and legitimizes future attacks. The apartheid regime's unwillingness to enforce the law on settlers serves as an incentive for their acts of terror. ## Chronology : **2020** **On April 21, 2020**, Jabarin Abu ‘Aram, a 56-year-old father of nine, was grazing his flock near Qawawis when two settlers from the Mitzpe Yair outpost approached him. One pepper-sprayed him, and both threw stones at him, stealing two of his goats. Abu ‘Aram’s wife intervened, but the settlers fled with the goats. Despite reporting the incident and providing evidence to the police, no action was taken, and the goats were never returned. Abu ‘Aram expressed frustration at the lack of protection, noting that settlers operate with impunity, leaving his family in fear of constant attacks. The outpost of Mitzpe Yair, established in 1998, has a history of encroaching on Palestinian lands near Route 317. [source](https://www.btselem.org/node/212932) **2024** **On Sunday, March 17,** Jibril Nu’man, 59, was grazing his flock on his private land near Qawawis when a settler soldier ordered him to leave. After refusing, Nu’man and another shepherd, Taleb Nu’man, were handcuffed, detained for five hours without food during Ramadan, and taken to a military camp before being released later that evening. **On Saturday, March 23,** Jibril Nu’man was again grazing his flock, this time with three Israeli activists, when a settler arrived, followed by two masked soldiers. One soldier threatened Nu’man with a gun, argued over the land’s ownership, and forced him to hand over his ID. After further confrontation, the soldiers tied and blindfolded Nu’man, beat him, and took him to a nearby camp, where he was detained for several hours without food, water, or the ability to pray. He was eventually dropped off far from his village. In a testimony he gave [B'tselem](https://www.btselem.org/video/20240522_soldiers_assaulted_shepherds_in_qawawis_in_south_hebron_hills#full) field researcher Basel al-Adrah on 23 March 2024, Jibril Nu’man recounted his detention by soldiers, some of whom he recognized as settlers **On May 15,** Jibrin Abu Aram was arrested for the fourth time in recent months while on his private land by the soldiers-settlers from the Mitzpe Yair outpost, which has been attempting to seize Qawawis' land for years. The stated reason was his presence near an illegal road built by settlers on Palestinian land. Even under apartheid laws, Palestinians are allowed near the road, but colonial practices disregard such laws. **2025** **On January 2:** When settlers attacked Jibrin Abu Aram's neighbor the day before, the army and police refused to intervene, highlighting their role in perpetuating abuse against Palestinians to force them off their land. Settlers infiltrated the village of Qawawis late at night and attacked Khaled Al-Najjar brutally. This is not the first time that Najjar has been injured in a settler attack; in 2001, he was seriously wounded when a settler shot him in the stomach. Yesterday, solidarity activists and residents of Qawawis tried several times to speak with the police and urged them to expel the settlers who invade the village lands and destroy fruit trees with their herds, but the police merely ask the settler to move. Five minutes later, as he goes deeper into the Palestinian orchards with his herd, they refuse to send the police back to the scene  **On April 20:** According to masafering, On the moning, three residents of the village of Gwawis went out to harvest barley on their land, near the ruins of Jibrin's house. A uniformed man riding an ATV arrived at the scene, forced them to stop working, and ordered them to sit on the ground in the scorching sun. More soldiers soon arrived and held the landowners for an hour, without providing any explanation. This is a systematic practice of harassment and intimidation as part of the attempt to uproot Palestinian communities from their land: farmers are exhausted with baseless delays every time they work their land, until they stop working it, which makes it legally easier to expropriate it and in practice easier for settlers to do with it as they please.

On November 11, 2024, in Al-Ara’ara Bedouin community, near Jaba, east of occupied Jerusalem, Israeli bulldozers, under occupation forces, demolished several structures in the Bedouin Al-Ara’ara community, including an abandoned House (unoccupied since the 1960s), a guesthouse, a house used by women and children, five Sheep Pens, a car repair shop, a mosque. Israeli forces marked additional structures with red paint, indicating potential for further demolitions. **Community Impact:** The Al-Ara’ara community includes over 80 families from the Jahalin Bedouin tribe. **Broader Context:** These demolitions are occurring alongside significant expansion of the Israeli Adam settlement, which is encroaching on lands belonging to the town of Jaba. Sources [1](https://english.palinfo.com/news/2024/11/11/328594/) [2](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/151545) [3](https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20241112-israel-demolishes-mosque-home-east-of-jerusalem/)

**Human Shields**: *The use of civilians to protect combatants or military objectives from attack. This practice is explicitly prohibited under international humanitarian law (IHL) as per the Fourth Geneva Convention.* TheUse of Human Shields in Israeli Military Practices, seems depend on whether the IDF is in Gaza or the West Bank, the methods used differ. ## **A. The “Mosquito Protocol” (2024)** A term reportedly used by the IDF to describe the practice of sending Palestinian detainees into potentially dangerous situations to safeguard soldiers during military operations. Palestinian civilians are arrested, detained and allegedly used as “human shields” by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to search tunnels and inspect potentially booby-trapped locations during the Israeli ground invasion in Gaza. Civilians referred to as "shawishim," are sent into high-risk areas before IDF soldiers. These Operations are conducted in various parts of the Gaza Strip, including Rafah. IDF soldiers arrest Palestinian civilians, some as young as 16 and others elderly, are dressed in IDF uniforms, bound, and equipped with cameras to explore dangerous areas. **Recent investigations and developments (2024)** - July and February 2024: Reports emerged of Palestinians being coerced into entering booby-trapped buildings or tunnels in Gaza. - August 13, 2024 (Haaretz): Allegations from soldiers, commanders, and Palestinian detainees revealed that civilians, including minors, were used to inspect hazardous tunnels and buildings.[Israeli leftist newspaper "Haaretz" Investigation](https://archive.md/BKrxB) *IDF Allegedly Uses Palestinian Civilians as Human Shields in Gaza Operations* by the Reporters: Yaniv Kubovich, Michael Hauser Tov on August 13, 2024. - October 21, 2024 (The Guardian): Whistleblower testimonies and reports highlighted systematic practices in Gaza, including tying civilians, forcing them to wear IDF uniforms, and using them for reconnaissance or shield tasks. - October 24, 2024 (CNN): The "Mosquito Protocol" involved forcing Palestinian detainees to enter danger zones. Reports included physical abuse and coercion, with some detainees subjected to beatings or threats. **Key Practices and Allegations:** IDF soldiers abduct Palestinians included minors, elderly individuals, and detainees, in order to force them to: - Enter buildings and tunnels to check for explosives or in Gaza Strip, including Rafah, Khan Younis, Shuja’iya, and Jabaliya. - Perform reconnaissance and operate cameras. - Serve as shields during gunfire or door-knocking procedures. Soldiers and officers allegedly received orders to implement these tactics, with some expressing moral opposition. Civilians were often handcuffed, blindfolded, or dressed in IDF uniforms. IDF units use coercion involved physical abuse, threats, and psychological pressure. Some soldiers expressed moral opposition, describing the practice as mimicking tactics of organizations like Hamas. **The Military Justifications** is the safety of Soldiers (Commanders prioritized minimizing risks to Israeli troops, even at the expense of Palestinian civilians) and the Operational Efficiency (Familiarity with local areas made Palestinian civilians useful for identifying threats or navigating buildings). **Evidence Supporting Allegations** Palestinian detainees and IDF soldiers provided consistent accounts of coercion and abuse. Photographs and Video Footage showed bound civilians being guarded by IDF soldiers. Reports of civilians dressed in military gear with attached cameras for reconnaissance. Human Rights Documentation: Organizations like *Breaking the Silence*, *Middle East Human Right Monitor*,... highlighted the systematic nature of these practices. The investigation includes first-hand soldier testimonies, video footage aired on Al Jazeera, and reports of systematic practices. Despite the IDF’s official denial, which states that such actions are against military regulations, these findings raise significant concerns about violations of humanitarian and legal standards. **Soldier Concerns:** Testimonies from DIF soldiers and commanders indicate ethical or legal discomfort with the practice, which some soldiers equate to endangering civilians for military advantage. They confronted their commanders about International laws but the answer was the following : *"It is better that they explode and not the IDF soldiers"* because their live is less important than IDF lives. In one reported case, a 16 y/O Palestinian was kept for several days, given combat rations, and used as humand shield by soldiers to explore a house. He was later released near a checkpoint confirming for the IDF whitnesses htat he was not involved in terrorism but just a civilian. **Leadership Knowledge and Military Responses:** Allegations that senior officials, including IDF Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi and Southern Command Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, were aware of the practice. **US Reaction:** U.S. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel expressed outrage, stating that the IDF’s actions in the footage “do not reflect IDF values” and are under investigation. **Invesigation of Breaking the silence:** In an interview for *Ha-Makom* website, Nadav Weiman, general director of *Breaking the Silence*, confirmed that the IDF isn't just using Palestinians as human shields, but as human baits. They're forced to wear IDF uniforms to draw fire to themselves. Among the evidence are those on abuses of Palestinian prisoners by IDF soldiers in the Yemen field and the conditions under which detainees are held, the burning and bombing of buildings without security justification, the practice of destruction in retaliation, and the use of Palestinians as human shields. If in previous operations the organization issued a file with all the evidence, in the war they decided to change strategy. When we realized that it would be much bigger than ever, that there are so many forces in different places in the Strip, in different ways, with different tactics, then you need a lot of witnesses for each unit, because otherwise you can't say anything inclusive. So when we had specific testimonies with important stories we took them out". Among these we can name the evidence on IDF soldiers abuses In the Yemen field camp And the inhumane conditions That Gazan detainees are held in, burning and bombing buildings without security or legal justification, a practice of destruction in revenge as well as the use of Palestinians as human shields, known as the mosquito procedure, as published on CNN in an interview with a soldier who testified to this in Breaking the Silence. Under the Mosquito procedure IDF soldiers force Gazan civilians, while being coerced and sometimes blindfolded, to walk in front of the force at the entrance to buildings, tunnels and movement through the area. In the event that the buildings are trapped, Gazans will die and not soldiers. According to the soldier, one of his commanders told him: "'It is better for the Palestinian to explode and not our soldiers". When did you learn about the use of Palestinians as human shields? "In December 2023. We thought it was a crazy officer doing whatever he wanted, I couldn't believe it. Then came another one and another and another one. We turned Liniv Kovovich from Israel, who discovered that the Chief of Staff was sitting in a meeting where human shields were spoken, so apparently the order comes from there. In response to the article, the IDF spokesman claimed that the practice was against the procedures. Several months later, an IDF spokesman confirmed the The case revealed in the hottest placeIn which a commander in the Nahal shot dead a Palestinian who was used as a human shield for the soldiers in Rafah.This time without reservation, even minimally, from the very use of the practice. Weiman says that some of the soldiers testified to arguments with officers in the company about the procedure. Reserves grew up on the fact that it was conducted that was banned by the High Court, that Yair Golan has a commanding comment about it.'." "-Mosquito procedure a hundred times worse -Yes. Because they put IDF uniforms on them and make them a target. Some of the witnesses said they were given uniforms so the IDF did not shoot them, " As in the case of the commander in Nahal who shot a Palestinian In Rafah, and some say that the uniforms are designed to attract fire. When the Palestinian enters the tunnel, Hamas will shoot at him". -Do you have any idea how many of these died? -'I guess that's a number we'll never know.'. [source](https://www.ha-makom.co.il/1057784-2) ### B. Neighbor Procedure/Early Warning Procedure: A specific tactic used by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), primarily in the **West Bank**, where civilians (often neighbors) are asked to communicate with suspects or perform tasks such as clearing buildings. **Israeli Military Justifications** - The military argues that the practice reduces casualties on both sides by avoiding direct confrontations. - The IDF pretend civilians are not coerced and face little to no danger, as evidenced by the provision of protective measures like bulletproof vests. - Local civilians are believed to be better suited to communicate with suspects and navigate complex environments. - The presence of civilians supposedly reduces hostility from suspects, facilitating safer surrenders. **Criticism and Legal Challenges** The practice breaches the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits forcing protected persons to assist an occupying force. The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit denies approving civilian use in dangerous military operations and claims the reported incidents are under review. The continuation of the practice after HCJ rulings indicates weak enforcement of judicial decisions within the military. Israel faces backlash for the practice, which undermines its international standing and raises questions about its adherence to IHL. Despite legal bans, reports of continued use highlight a lack of accountability within the IDF. Few soldiers are prosecuted, and penalties remain minimal. Disproportionate Risks & ethical concern: The procedure shifts the burden of danger from soldiers to civilians, violating the principle of proportionality under IHL.The procedure exposes civilians to potential harm, even when “voluntary,” and undermines the principle of distinction in IHL.Both victims and soldiers involved in these operations experience long-term trauma. The use of human shields continues to be condemned by international organizations like Btselem and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). **Documented Cases and Patterns** Testimonies reveal that even minors and women were coerced or threatened into participating.Despite the 2005 HCJ ruling, instances of human shield usage have been reported in subsequent military operations. Case of Bilal (Testimony): A child was sent into a house to check for a suspect, showcasing the direct harm and coercion involved. Consequences ## Chronology of events ### Since October 2023 Gaza Israeli soldier Yosef Scewekeh from the steel cat combat engineering corps showing how they use Palestinian civilians as human shields in Gaza  10 Nov 2023: [A video shows](https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231110-israeli-army-in-west-bank-uses-palestinian-detainee-as-human-shield/) Israeli soldiers using a blindfolded Palestinian detainee as a human shield in the West Bank. He is seated on the ground w/ vehicles behind him using him as a shield as an Israeli soldier aim his rifle towards Palestinians May 2024: On May 24, Lt. Amit Nechmya, the Latak platoon commander is seen ordering an elderly man with a partially covered face to move to an unknown location in Rafah. The video was recorded by Sgt Camisa. On October 2024 “Really a nice ending”,This is what Mujinda wrote, commenting on the kidnapping of Palestinians in the West Bank.  ### Before October 2023 **May 2023:** Israeli soldiers forced Nidal, 9, Karam, 11, Ahmad, 2 & Mohammad, 2 to stand in front of Israeli military vehicles while Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters, stun grenades & live ammunition at Palestinians confronting the soldiers in Ramallah dci-palestine.org/israeli_forces… Israeli forces have used at least five Palestinian children [as human shields](https://www.dci-palestine.org/israeli_forces_use_five_palestinian_children_as_human_shields) in the first part of 2023, according to documentation collected by DCIP. **March 2023:** Anas al-Khalili from Nablus. “I was used as a human shield by Israeli forces. They handcuffed me & started shooting from behind me. While I was handcuffed, they pushed me down the stairs, they stayed behind me & were shooting at the men… **9 March 2018** Israel soldiers detained ‘Abd a-Rahim Gheith in Jericho & ordered him out the car, handcuffed him & made him sit on the road for 2hrs. Gheith was then used as a human shied, & was hit by stones thrown at the soldiers. Video evidence: **2014 (Operation Protective Edge):** Documented cases of Palestinians being used as human shields despite the HCJ's ban. **July-Aug 2014:** “Israeli soldiers handcuffed & blindfolded us...they made us stand by the windows as protective shields for them. There was gunfire all around us. They made us stand by the window for 9 hours. We were their shields.” - Ramadan Qudeih **July-August 2014:** “They refused to let us out….I asked for am ambulance for my sister, who fainted, they refused. They held us to protect themselves. -Nazeeha al-Najjar (7:30) **July-August 2014:** "I was taken prisoner, handcuffed & walked almost at gun point…he made me walk forward and he was protected by me…if any shots had been fired, they’d have hit me. He [the israeli soldier] was right behind me. **2010-2013:** "The Committee on the Rights of the Child express deep concern about the continuous use of Palestinian children as human shields and informants. 14 such cases have been reported from January 2010 to 31 March 2013 only." **2008-2009:** The Goldstone Report documented many cases in which the Israeli military used Palestinians as human shields in the 2008-9 war on Gaza, including Majdi Abd Rabbo, Abbas Ahmad Ibrahim Halawa, Mahmoud Abd Rabbo al-Ajrami and others. See p. 218-230 documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/… **February 2009:** “the officers said I wouldn’t see my family unless i did it…he pushed me w/his weapon, held me by my neck & said go." -Magdy Rabbo. [He had to go back & forth between Israeli soldiers & hamas fighers]. The IDF used Magdy as a human shied. **February 2009:** “The Israelis would send us ahead...they made me dig holes in the wall & in the houses first to check in case they were booby trapped. We were put in front so in case there was gunfire, we would be [hit].” -Rabbi Abde Rabi, Gaza resident. 2008-2009 (Operation Cast Lead) & 2014 (Operation Protective Edge): Documented cases of Palestinians being used as human shields despite the HCJ's ban. **2005:** The HCJ fully outlaws the use of civilians in military operations, ruling it as a violation of IHL. Despite this, incidents of the practice persist. **November 2002:** The HCJ temporarily bans the use of civilians as human shields but allows the procedure under specific conditions, such as explicit consent and minimal danger. **In 2002**, 2002: During the Second Intifada, the "Neighbor Procedure" results in the death of a Palestinian civilian, leading to petitions by human rights organizations to Israel’s High Court of Justice (HCJ). IDF forced Palestinians to walk through buildings suspected to be booby-trapped. it ordered them to enter certain areas before the combat forces...the army used residents as a “human shield” to serve as a shield against attack on those forces (p.230) documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/… **May 2001:** the Israeli army took over Hussein Aladi’s home, established an Israeli military base on the roof. For 3 months, they fired every day from there. The army insisted family always remain in the house, to protect the Israeli soldiers in it. **1967:** Start of Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. The use of Palestinian civilians as human shields during military operations becomes an observed practice. Sources : [ICRC](https://international-review.icrc.org/sites/default/files/irrc_856_2.pdf) [2023 Jcobin](https://jacobin.com/2023/11/human-shields-bombing-gaza-palestine-israel-defense-forces-morally-bankrupt) [jpost](https://www.jpost.com/israel/archive-idf-neighbor-procedure-safe) [Breaking the silence](https://www.breakingthesilence.org.il/testimonies/database/366029) [B'tselem](https://www.btselem.org/human_shields) [Cases documented by Btselem :](https://www.btselem.org/ota/104/all) [2024 : 24/10 “Mosquito Protocol” :](https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/24/middleeast/palestinians-human-shields-israel-military-gaza-intl/index.html) [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/21/palestinians-describe-being-used-as-human-shields-by-israeli-troops-in-gaza) [Haaretz, on Augustus 13, 2024 :](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-08-13/ty-article-magazine/.premium/idf-uses-gazan-civilians-as-human-shields-to-inspect-potentially-booby-trapped-tunnels/00000191-4c84-d7fd-a7f5-7db6b99e0000)

Umm al-Khair is a Palestinian village located in the Hebron Governorate of the State of Palestine, in the southern West Bank. It was inhabited by five families, roughly 70 people, in 2008. By 2017, the population of the village was 686. The Palestinian village of Umm Al-Khair, is located in the Masafer Yatta region and Area C of the Occupied West Bank, which is under full Israeli civil and military control. The residents of Umm Al-Khair are a model of resilience in the face of occupation and ethnic cleansing. Their ancestors were expelled from their homes in what is now Israel in 1948 before purchasing the land of their current village. The village is comprised of Bedouin refugees who were expelled from the Negev after 1948 & purchased the land from residents of Yatta. In 1980, parts of their land were seized for ‘security' purposes, which soon turned out to be the establishment of the Carmel settlement. For several years, Umm Al-Khair has been under constant threat of demolition and expulsion as the State of Israel seeks to confine Area C Palestinians into ever smaller areas. The residents of the settlement--just a 2 minute walk away--live in swanky modern homes with government-supplied electricity and running water; Umm Al-Khair residents lack permits to build a sufficient number of permanent structures, regularly purchase overpriced tanks for their water, and rely on donated solar panels for limited electricity. The stark contrast between the settlement and Umm Al-Khair is one of the clearest views of Israel's apartheid system. Since October 7, the situation in Umm Al-Khair has become worse than residents can ever remember, and the village's neediest families, all of whom have lost their sources of income due to Israeli travel restrictions and settler violence, urgently need our support. The harassement and the raids come not random by trespassers — they are settlers, including brainwashed teenagers, from illegal outposts such as Khavat Shoroshim (run by the extremist Shimon Attia) and Mashek Manne (run by the extremist Isachar Manne, who has been under sanctions). **Chronology (ongoing)** **On June 26, 2024** Civil Administration personnel came with military and Border Police escort and three diggers. They demolished the homes of two families, leaving 24 Palestinians, 15 of them minors, homeless. **On June 27, 2024** In the morning the Israeli army raided the village of Umm Al-Khair and destroyed at least 11 homes and structures in the village, including its community tent. 40 people in the village were now newly homeless. **On June 29, 2024 ** 3 settler youths from the nearby violent outpost of Shorashim Farm (founded by Shimon Attia) entered a house, pushed the residents, and pepper sprayed a youth. They called Shimon who arrived with the army and settler security. **July 1st, 2024** 2 settlers from Shorashim Farm took their sheep into the village & mixed them up with the village flocks. Shimon arrived with another settler youth & attacked a resident with a rod while the youth pepper sprayed a group of women. A 5 yr-old girl was also injured. in all the commotion, Shimon fired shots into the air. An ambulance came for the wounded residents but Shimon attempted to block it, claiming that the wounded had attacked him. **July 2, 2024** Shimon arrived to the area of the village, accompanied by a military jeep & security vehicle, and set up a tent. The police told the residents that Shimon was allowed to be there because it was ‘state land’ & that he was permitted to build the tent.Later on, more & more settlers arrived. Guarded by soldiers, they held a prayer service by the village. As the settlers packed up, they threatened to return and rebuild the tent deeper inside the village. As they left, the settlers cut multiple holes through the village’s water pipes. **On July 3, 2024** (Report from the activist Elisheva Goldberg) On Wednesday, the Israeli army and settler security forces demolished about a quarter of Umm al-Khair, without prior warning. Some homes had demolition orders pending for 18 years. Eid Al Hathaleen, his wife, and four daughters lost their home and were left homeless with no time to appeal or remove belongings. Eid has since been sleeping on the rubble. *In the days that followed (Between July 3 and 6)* Settlers from the illegal Shorashim farm, led by Shimon Attia and accompanied by men in IDF uniforms, entered the village multiple times, firing live ammunition and tear gas. Injuries Reported: - A 5-year-old girl was injured. - One man was shot. - Two elderly women were hospitalized due to tear gas exposure. Evidence of settlement expansion was visible throughout the village. Settlers even pitched a tent and prayed inside the village, and blocked access roads to prevent aid from reaching residents. The settlers cut off the village's water supply, leaving 250 residents without water for drinking, cooking, or bathing—during extreme summer heat. The combined actions of settlers and the military appear aimed at making life unlivable for Palestinians in Umm al-Khair, effectively pushing them off their land. **On July 5, 2024** The Israeli army, accompanied by settler security, completely unannounced, demolished nearly a quarter of the village. Buildings that have had demolition orders for 18 years. One of the homes was the house of Eid Al Hathaleen. **On July 26, 2024** The Israeli army raided the village of Umm Al-Khair and destroyed at least 11 homes and structures in the village, including its community tent. 40 people in the village are now newly homeless and the need is greater than ever; At the end of the same month, a fundraiser allowed quickly to raise enough monney to help to rebuilt their community. **On October 26, 2024** Settlers, led by Shimon Atiya and escorted by Israeli soldiers, invaded the village with a herd, grazing between homes. A U.S. solidarity activist documenting the event was arrested by Israeli police. **On February 2** Residents of Umm al-Khair woke to settlers using heavy tools to drill and measure land near their homes, claiming ownership. Villagers were powerless to intervene. The operation was led by Issachar Man from the Masek Man outpost and Shimon Atiya from the Havat Shorashim outpost, accompanied by others known for violence. A video of the land seizure was shamelessly posted on the Mount Hebron Council’s Facebook page, suggesting settler actions are not just tolerated but openly supported. **On February 4** Settlers from the 'Carmel' outpost are trying to seize land in Umm al-Khair by planting an olive groves **On February 14, 2025** For Tu BiShvat holiday, settlers find the opportunity to steal from the Palestinians. Dozens of settlers gathered inside the village and began planting trees and placing the flags Israel. This is a new step of establishing and outpost inside the Um al-Khair village with the protection of the Israeli authorities. **On April 7, 2025** Israeli settlers have begun placing caravans just meters from residents' homes, according to the Al-Baydar Organization. One was parked inside Umm al-Khair, where settlers had recently planted trees and raised an Israeli flag. Dozens of settlers, led by Shimon Atiya, attacked the village, attempting to breach the fence and assaulting residents with clubs. At least three people — including a child and a young adult — were injured and taken to the hospital. Later, under army protection, Shimon Attia was seen cutting a fence inside the village. **On April 15, 2025** Settler-shepherds grazerd their flocks right in the heart of the village under the protection — and false legal cover — of the Israeli occupation forces and police. They come from illegal outposts such as Khavat Shoroshim and Mashek Manne. They traveled many kilometers from different directions to invade the community and disrupt the lives, and spread terror. A resident testified *"What makes this even more painful is that they are grazing their flocks on our privately farmed land, where we have planted barley after months of hard work and with large financial investment. These crops are essential — not just for feeding our families, but for keeping our livestock alive. While we are forbidden from grazing even a few meters outside our village, they roam freely and destroy everything we’ve worked for. Many of us depend on this land to survive, and now it is being trampled and devoured in front of our eyes. This is not just provocation — it is part of a deliberate campaign to pressure us into leaving our homes. It’s a clear example of the settlers’ strategy of slow, methodical displacement."* **On June 29 - July 1st:** Over three consecutive days (June 29–July 1), settler Shimon Atia repeatedly entered the Palestinian village of Umm Al Khair in the West Bank, trespassing, intimidating residents, seizing land, and committing acts of violence. Despite his actions — including armed threats, assaults, and destruction of property — Israeli authorities consistently sided with him, enforcing his land grab and failing to protect the villagers. **On 28 July 2025** Awdah (Awdeh) Hathaleen, a 31-year-old Palestinian teacher and activist from Umm al‑Khair in the Masafer Yatta area south of Hebron, was shot dead by an Israeli settler identified as Yinon Levi during confrontations over land and bulldozing efforts. See [the event](https://genocide.live/event/2197) **On Augustus, 2025** The infamously violent Shimon Attia, broke off from Carmel to plant an outpost just meters from the village community center. **On October 12, 2025** A Jerusalem District Court issued a temporary injunction barring settlers from moving into the outpost, prohibiting any further construction, and ordering that the caravans and fencing on village land remain frozen until further notice. But, the settlers were working on the outpost again. **On November 2025: the pressure and attacks increase** **On November 9:** Attack this morning in Umm al-Khair: Young men from the “Havat Shorashim” outpost of the settler Shimon Atiya invaded privately owned land belonging to villagers and grazed their sheep there. They assaulted two villagers who were working on their land with sticks. One was injured in the head and taken to the hospital, and the other sustained a hand injury.

Umm Safa is a village in the Ramallah district of the West Bank, facing severe land seizure by Israeli settlers and military forces. The village has experienced regular invasions and attacks, with settlers and soldiers harassing residents, cutting water supplies, and storming homes, leading to a growing humanitarian crisis. ### Land Seizure: Israeli settlers, backed by the army, have been expropriating private lands from the village, leveling and destroying agricultural areas, including olive and grape trees. Settlers brought bulldozers to prepare the land for illegal settlement expansion on Jabal al-Ras and Abu Tantur hills. ### Impact on Residents: - The village has been under constant attacks from settlers and the Israeli army, with settler violence intensifying, especially since 2023. - Settlers have already fired live bullets at homes, disrupted daily life, and attacked the local school during school hours. - Multiple Palestinian youths, including Mohammed al-Bayed and Abdul Jiwad Salah, were killed while resisting the settler invasions. ## Protests and Suppression: - Villagers, alongside International or Jewish anti-sionist activists, protested the land seizures. These protests have been met with violent suppression by Israeli forces, using tear gas and stun grenades. Soldiers have destroyed monuments dedicated to villagers killed by the army, further intensifying tensions. ## International Appeal: The people and council of Umm Safa are appealing to the international community for solidarity and intervention, calling for action to stop the ongoing land theft, harassment, and displacement. Residents and solidarity activists have been persistently calling for international attention and justice, documenting these ongoing attacks and human rights violations. ## Chronological summary of the recent events in Umm Safa **January 2024** - January 2: Israeli settlers, protected by the military, began bulldozing land in the Jabal al-Ras area of Umm Safa, initiating large-scale land theft aimed at settlement expansion. - January 9: Palestinian man, Ameed Ibrahim Samih Jayousi (31), was killed by Israeli forces. His body was reportedly taken by settlers from a Palestinian ambulance near Umm Safa. - January 13: Israeli anti-apartheid activists visited Umm Safa as attacks from settlers and Israeli military forces increased. - January 20: Israeli forces suppressed Palestinian farmers and tried to prevent them from reaching their lands. Villagers, along with activists, planted olive trees on private lands, but the army uprooted them and fired tear gas at those present. **February 2024** - February 18: Israeli forces kidnapped a young Palestinian man, Muhammad Samih Karaja, after raiding his house in Umm Safa. **May 2024** - May 25: Every Friday, settlers from Ateret settlement have invaded the village’s lands, protected by the army. During this specific Friday, the army not only protected the settlers but also shot stun grenades and gas bombs into the village, setting a field on fire. **July 2024** - July 12: Israeli forces invaded a house in the village, took over the roof, and threw stun grenades at activists documenting the invasion. **September 2024** - September 9: Israeli bulldozers demolished approximately 200,000 m² of cultivated land in the Jabal al-Ras region, including olive and grape trees. Settlers and soldiers invaded the village, intensifying land destruction and harassment. - September 11: Villagers of Umm Safa issued an urgent appeal to the international community, highlighting the continuous attacks by Israeli settlers and soldiers, with blockades cutting off access points to the village and daily harassment. They warned of impending displacement and ethnic cleansing due to the rapid settlement expansion. - September 14: Israeli forces suppressed a peaceful anti-settlement protest march in Umm Safa with tear gas. Villagers and activists were demonstrating against the ongoing land seizures by settlers. - September 15: Settlers continued leveling land just meters away from homes. Israeli forces again used stun grenades and tear gas to disperse demonstrators protesting the theft of 123.5 acres of land by settlers. **March 2025** - March 10 : A group of settlers infiltrated the western side of the village in the early hours of the morning and stormed a car garage belonging to citizen Mohammad Yusuf al-Sabti Sabah and his brother Raafat, where they set it on fire, which led to the complete burning of three vehicles.  ## Ongoing Attacks and Resistance: - Throughout 2024, Umm Safa has been subjected to repeated attacks, with settlers frequently raiding homes, cutting water supplies, and threatening residents. The Israeli military has protected these settlers, often using force to suppress protests from the villagers. - Villagers have tried to resist the settler takeovers by protesting, planting trees on their land, and collaborating with activists, but their efforts have been violently suppressed by Israeli forces. ### Sources : [https://x.com/activestills/status/1809635795071885690](url) [https://x.com/Mistaclim/status/1811848511329120455](url) [https://x.com/PulseofPal/status/1833150391124443183](url) [https://x.com/gazanotice/status/1835125987350069470](url) [https://x.com/imemcnews/status/1834992391532454267](url) [https://x.com/transandwell/status/1834902811550629921](url) [https://x.com/ytirawi/status/1794371379409678695](url) [https://x.com/ytirawi/status/1791901520344101365](url) [https://imemc.org/article/army-suppresses-anti-settlement-march-near-ramallah/](url)