Samra Has Been Severely Shaken. Two Families Remain.
Samra has undergone a profound upheaval. After two months of a daily nightmare — which need not be repeated — carried out by the youths from the blue tent, with the support of the army and police — harming people, livestock, and fields — one family, as well as the Haj, decided to leave for good.
On Sunday, they took their flock and walked to Tubas. They loaded their belongings onto a truck and left.
A mixture of grief and anger settled over those who remained. Two families.
On the day we were there, a truck arrived again and took the remaining belongings, including the solar panels. And that was it. Where once there had been a family — now there is a void. And it hurts.
At the same time, the other communities are in a similar situation. The story of Samra stands out among them all — horror in its purest form.
We spent a long day with the two remaining families: grazing, making cheese, cleaning, playing with the children. Rest, grazing again.
In the afternoon, settlers appeared on an ATV. We were out with the men grazing a few hundred meters from the community. The ATV passed us and continued into the community. We hurried back as fast as we could, in our role as protective presence, and found the ATV and three youths sitting in front of the encampment, watching. As if they had come to witness their victory.
Then they left.
Before them, Uri — their spiritual and financial patron — had arrived to witness the victory. He drove around and left.
In the middle of the day, a group of academics from Jerusalem arrived to learn about the situation, guided by Jordan Valley activists.
It was also the last day of Ramadan, and we were invited to a very delicious meal.
These days feel like a rearguard battle. Unless a miracle happens, they will not survive.
Location Description
Jordan Valley
See all reports for this place-
Jordan Valley The Jordan Valley is the eastern strip of the West Bank. Its area consists of almost a third of the West Bank area. About 10,000 settlers live there, about 65,000 Palestinian residents in the villages and towns. In addition, about 15,000 are scattered in small shepherd communities. These communities are living in severe distress because of two types of harassment: the military declaring some of their living areas, as fire zones, evicting them for long hours from their residence to the scorching heat of the summer and the bitter cold of the winter. The other type is abuse by rioters who cling to the grazing areas of the shepherd communities, and the declared fire areas (without being deported). The many groundwaters in the Jordan Valley belong to Mekorot and are not available to Palestinians living in the Jordan Valley. The Palestinians bring water to their needs in high-cost followers.
Sarah PostecDec-27-2026Hammam al-Malih: Border Guard and settlers in the compound
-