Masafer Yatta – settler harassment
Route 317:
Asael: an old wild outpost (established about twenty years ago) south of the road, near the industrial area Meitar. Included in the outposts planned to be approved by the state. We noticed a new stone fence, visible from the road.
Khalet a-Daba’:
Our destination, Khalet a-Daba’. The village has about 80 residents, most of them children. The village was slated for demolition at the end of 2022, but so far, it has not been done. On the road from Route 60 to the road leading to Abigail and Mufaqara, a Hummer Jeep loaded with soldiers.
In Khalet a-Daba’ we met Jaber Dababsa. When we asked what has been going on in the village lately, he points to a tractor and a trailer southeast of the Ma’on farm. He says that there is a sheep herd there. In his opinion, it is a settler from Ma’on Farm. Regularly, shepherds from Safai, Tuba and El Abud, are expelled by the settlers and the army that backs them up.
Sometimes the border guard also cooperates with the settlers.
Jaber continues to say that 8 days ago dozens of settlers, from Mitzpe Yair and Abigail came. One of the settlers entered Khalet a-Daba’, a camera on his forehead to record, and demanded to search the place, when he claimed that their sheep had been lost and they suspected that the people of the village were the thieves. Jaber made it clear to him that he should not come without the police. After half an hour, settlers arrived, riding 3 ATVs, a Savanna model vehicle (a large vehicle) and a van.
Jaber told them again that only the soldiers and the police would be allowed to conduct a search.
Those who helped were activists from abroad who called the police. The police arrived and demanded that the settlers leave.
A story follows a story, and here is another case. Jaber’s 11-year-old nephew was grazing his father’s sheep. A settler scared the boy who fell. His father filed a complaint with the police. Of course, nothing happened with the complaint.
A few days ago, soldiers arrived, broke the Palestinian flags that are permanently on the fence surrounding the village and a sign. In the meantime, new flags were put up.
At night there are always some of the residents who sleep outside, guarding against the settlers who come frequently into the village. For 6 days they came in a row.
From there we went to Mufaqara. We met Mahmud Hamamda, who invited us to hear from him about the situation. There were 2 young women, one from Portugal and one from Germany. They are independent, making a documentary film about the occupation. I told about the Watch Watch and the importance of spreading the subject of the occupation in the world. They were accompanied by Ali Awwad, the activist from Tuba.
Ali talked about an inspector from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority ,Yedidia Talia, from the infamous Talia farm. According to Jaber, he extorts large sums of money from Palestinians who collect ‘Akub for their livelihood.
Muhammad Hamamda also tells about an increase in the frequency of arrivals of settlers with the backing of the army, since the government changed about 3 months ago.
There is no doubt that the settlers’ security was strengthened following the new government’s policy.
A-Tuwani
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A-Tuwani
The locals came to a-Tuwani during the 20th century from the village of Yatta. They settled in abandoned ruins, utilizing the arable land, pastures for grazing sheep and the abundance of natural caves for habitation. The residents who settled in the caves came from families who could not purchase land for houses in the mother villages, as well as shepherds who did not have enough land to graze. They were joined by clan members who quarreled with other families in the mother locality.
Some of the residents today live in concrete buildings built above the caves. In the area of the village are several water cisterns and an ancient water well called 'Ein a-Tuwani. Local residents are forced to buy water in containers and transport them through many road blocks to the village. With the help of international organizations, an electrical system was installed in the village. In the late 90s of the 20tTh century, an elementary school was established in the serving several small villages in the area.
In 2004, MachsomWatch began visiting and reporting from the Khirbet Tuwani cave village, which suffers badly from the settlers of nearby outposts, and especially from the extremist Ma'on outpost. . The settlers contaminate cisterns, poison the flocks and uproot trees.Particularly notable is the harassment of children from the surrounding villages on their way to school in a-Tuwani, so much so that military escort of children is required to separate them from the attackers (this was arranged following an initiative of the organization's members). In the past year, the escort has been without the vital presence of overseas volunteers.
Near a-Tuwani there are several families who have returned to the caves due to the incessant demolitions of the civil administration (as there is a total construction ban in all of area C). Destroyed are not only residential and agricultural buildings, but also water pipes, machinery. Even water cisterns are clogged up. a-Tuwani residents have created an association for non-violent demolition protests, but in the past year the army’s harsh harassment and settler violence have intensified and escalated. The incident of the small generator confiscation, which left a young man paralyzed, is one of many examples - any legitimate protection of property rights leads to violence and even shootings by the army and the civil administration.
Updated April 2022
Michal TsadikJul-25-2025The interior of the burnt house
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Mesafer Yatta
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This is happening in Fire Area 918 in the South Hebron Hills
On the eve of Remembrance Day (the day before Israel Independence Day), 4th May, 2022, the Israeli High Court decided on the transfer and expulsion of residents from 8 Palestinian communities in the area of Masafar Yata in the South Hebron Hills. Residents of the villages have been living under the threat of demolition, evacuation and expropriation since the IDF issued evacuation orders in 1999 based on the 1980s proclamation of their area of residence as a firing zone for IDF drills. None of the nearby settlements were included in this zone. The Masafer Yata Palestinian villages retain a special lifestyle and ancient agricultural culture. They also posess a clear historical documentation that testifies to a Palestinian settlement in this area, generations before the establishment of Israel, long ago in the caves and at later times outside them.
Evacuating residents from the area means destroying these historic villages and leaving entire families (about 2,000 people, children, adults, and the elderly) homeless. This is contrary to international law.
In June 2022, a firing drill started, and life became harder.
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