Armed settlers backed up by police and army harass Palestinians

Palestinian Jordan Valley: armed settler-colonists backed up by police and army harass Palestinians

Today was quiet. We didn’t accompany the shepherds but climbed up the hill and were close. The women told us that someone on a mini-tractor often comes down from the new illegal settler-outpost and takes a threatening turn around the center of the hamlet. THey also told us that in the evening some settler-colonist from Shadmot Mekhola arrives in his jeep and stands at the entrance to the village. All these are terror acts meant to sow anxiety in the Palestinians.

The armed settler-colonists, backed by army and police are capable of anything. What protection do Abu Rasma and his family have?

All the illegal settler outposts are a source of ongoing violence. The youngsters who inhabit them draw encouragement and power from the mere existence of these ouposts and validation for the fact that there is no law and everything goes, with a serious wink by the army and police. There are several such focal areas in the central and southern West Bank, including some violent individual ranches, and they constitute a life-endangering presence threatening the Palestinian population that has lived there long before the 1867 war and occupation.

The family at Al Hema has been seriously concerned about our friend N. who was hurt while we accompanied the shepherds to their pasture. They would like to go visit her inside Israel.

In the photos: the charming children of Makhoul, including the new baby with the ill heart, who looks quite well.