Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank have become more aggressive since October 7. The Israeli government is increasingly supporting them in this. Palestinian shepherds and a farmer tell NU.nl about it: “A settler once put his weapon to my head.”
“The problems have become twice as bad,” sighs the 35-year-old shepherd Mohammad. While talking, he constantly rubs his expressionless face. “They cut open bags of flour, empty your water tanks, puncture your tires. That’s all common. But since October 7, the Israeli army has been helping them with this.”
Everyone nods in agreement across five screens. Two shepherds and a farmer are present at the online call, all from their own cars. Two Israeli volunteers from the aid organization Jordan Valley Activists try to translate everything. That is not only difficult because of the poor connection, but also because the three men respond to the questions at the same time.
Since the renewed war in Gaza, the Israeli authorities have also increased the pressure in the area they have occupied since 1967. According to the laws of war, the army and police should protect the Palestinians. But the army now helps the settlers and the police no longer come when the farmers call for help.
The three men remain hopeful, but also see that there is little support and a good outcome is far away. There is some help, albeit limited, acknowledges the fifty-year-old farmer Mohammad. The talkative man sometimes allows a broad smile on his serious face, but his gaze then becomes serious again. “We do not know the safety of sitting at home with your children.”
More settlements and 150,000 weapons
The three Palestinians live with their families in the north in an area controlled by Israel. Farmer Mohammad explains why they want to be in the piece without a last name: “There are more and more checkpoints on the road. They are always looking for an excuse to hold you for hours. Not convenient if I have to go to the hospital, for example.”
Israel is expanding significantly in the occupied West Bank. At the end of May, the Israeli security cabinet approved the construction of 22 new settlements. These are illegal. The United Nations previously concluded in a study on 2023 and 2024 that the Palestinian population is increasingly facing discrimination and violence.
The Israeli government is also increasingly arming the settlers. Since October 7, more than 150,000 (fire)arms have been distributed to Israeli occupiers. The Palestinians, on the other hand, have nothing to defend themselves with. According to the shepherds, the army opens fire as soon as it sees a knife.
“And the settlers lie,” say the farmer and shepherds in chorus. For example, they say that you have weapons at home. That is reason enough for the army to enter your house and knock things over. Farmer Mohammad: “A settler once put his weapon to my head and said: ‘When the time comes, I will kill you.'”
‘This is what the constant stress does to them’
Mohammad has to leave his farm within two to three months because of a settler. 26 families depend on his land, he says. He recently took out a mortgage on his house to cover costs after settlers caused damage. “If I don’t sell my house, they will take it. But we can’t go anywhere.”
When asked where he would move with his family, his face changes. “Well, the bushes…” He fills up, apologizes and cries behind his hand. One of the two volunteers adds after a short silence: “This is what the constant stress does to them.”
Shepherd Abed says that he has to leave his house and land within a week. He heard that not only from a settler, but also from the border police. The fact that they are interfering with this is new, emphasizes a volunteer.
Abed does not yet know what he is going to do. His neighbor left a few months ago after threats. “He is now homeless.” Not much later, the shepherd apologizes that he has to hang up. He is approaching a checkpoint.
Farmer Mohammad briefly gets out of his car. With his now familiar grin, he gazes into the distance. Behind him, the sand turns orange in the setting sun.
Activists as a living shield
The Palestinians in the West Bank have become increasingly dependent on activists over the years. For example, when the shepherds want to graze their herds, they first check whether an activist can come along. The volunteers form a human shield: settlers stay away or are a lot milder.
In the first period after October 7, the activists even scaled up to 24/7 presence, says one of the two translating activists. “The shepherds feared not only for their work, but also for their homes.” The aid is not without risk for the activists. Both Israeli and foreign aid workers are sometimes injured by aggression from the settlers.
Settlers destroy evidence
The Palestinians and activists have their camera as their only weapon. They film all intimidation as proof for the police and the army. Although the settlers try to cover this up, says shepherd Mohammad. “They take your phone and break it.”
The army also destroys cameras that have been installed by Comet-ME, the shepherds say. That is an Israeli-Palestinian aid organization that has also been funded by the Netherlands since 2013. In 2017, former Prime Minister Mark Rutte protested to Israel after destruction at a project of the aid organization. The Netherlands has invested a total of 6.7 million euros in Comet-ME, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told NU.nl.
The extremist settlers even target their own army. At the end of June, settlers destroyed computer equipment of the army. This included systems that were used for maintaining order and preventing attacks. The damage means a greater security risk, the army said.
Farmer Mohammad concludes the conversation with a wish: “When this is all over, I hope to welcome everyone here.”
After the interview, he sends photos of scorched earth and pipes (see photo above this article). Settlers have set fire to his irrigation system.