Al-Farisiya: Gilad from Tene Yarok outpost is grazing his sheep in A's private field
Saturday, 08.03.2025
We arrived at the valley around 7:30 and were divided into teams. Two people remained to protect the community in Al-Farisiya, two left to accompany A. to the pasture, two left for Ein Al-Hilwe where five families live who have cattle, and two others went to accompany N. around Al-Mukasar.
Saturday passed in complete peace throughout the day and night. The settlers chose to rest on the Sabbath and remained in their homes.
Sunday, 09.03.2025
In the morning the problems returned. The next shift of volunteers arrived and some of us stayed.
At 09:00 we received a call from Khalet Makhul informing us that Y. and his brothers had been arrested with their tractor on the main road. He had been handcuffed and taken away. We began to search for him. We drove to the base at Umm Zuka and were told that they don’t deal with detainees and we should ask at the brigade base in Masuah. Their daughter asked for our help to return the tractor to the tent site since it had been left on the main road. She found someone from the family to drive the tractor back, but we drove there and remained to ensure that they did not arrest him as well.
At 10:00 we were informed that Gilad, the settler from Tene Yarok had entered A.’s private field. The volunteer at Al-Farisiya found an original way to make him leave: She lifted her blouse and revealed her bra, and Gilad withdrew but did not give up. He called the police and complained that someone had committed an act of indecency. We also called the police to report that Gilad had trespassed on someone’s private land.
First a vehicle belonging to the security guard from the settlement of Rotem appeared with the supervisor from the regional council to protect the Jewish shepherd. They emphasized that the problem was the “indecent act” and not the act of trespassing on A.’s private land. However, they told Gilad that he was not to trespass there again.
A police car then appeared. Since Gilad had already left, the policeman ignored that complaint, but after conferring with his superiors he decided to take the volunteer to the police station in Binyamin for questioning. She was not accused of committing any act of indecency, but received a restraining order to keep out of the valley for two weeks and had to leave a deposit of 1,500 NIS as a guarantee that she would obey the order.
The settler Gilad continued to harass the community. He went to Al-Farisiya and let his flock of sheep graze 20 meters from the families’ homes underneath their solar panels. He claimed that this was state land and he had a right to be there. He sat down about 40 meters away and guarded his flock with a trained sheep dog.
The remaining companions managed to keep him away because the residents, especially the children, were very frightened. Their sheep were already hungry and thirsty, and the settlers decided they had had enough and left.
Location Description
'Ein al-Hilwe
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Ein al-Hilwe is a natural spring and a Palestinian grazing area in the Jordan Valley that was used by the Palestinian shepherd communities for watering their flocks and for daily use. As of 2021, settlers from the Maskyot settlement took control of the spring: they fenced it off, built a wading pool and a mikveh, and installed flags and recreational facilities.
Palestinians are effectively denied access to the spring, and are forced to make do with running water in a remote wadi or, when the road is blocked, buy water from vendors at high prices.
The spring is located in the heart of an area where illegal outposts are being established, as part of a broader trend of pushing Palestinian communities away by denying them access to essential resources. Neighboring communities such as Umm Jamal and Khirbet Samra have already left due to the pressure.
Over the years, MachsomWatch members have reported arrests on false claims by settlers, harassment and violence, including damage to herds, intrusion into homes, and the intimidation of children. MachsomWatch volunteers participate in a protective presence in areas around the spring to prevent harassment of shepherds due to the presence of settlers.
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Al-Farisiya / 'Ein a-sakut
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Al-Farisiya / 'Ein a-sakutA community of shepherds in the Jordan Valley opposite the settlement of "Rotem". Making a living from grazing sheep, the residents are exposed to harassment, abuse and theft from settlers who come to them from outposts and settlements in the area, and their grazing area is shrinking due to settler takeovers, fire zones and declared nature reserves.Machsom Watch companies participate in shepherd escort activities and provide a 24/7 protective presence, and there is continuous and warm contact with the community.
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Jordan Valley
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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.
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