Umm al-Khair is a Palestinian village located in the Hebron Governorate of the State of Palestine, in the southern West Bank. It was inhabited by five families, roughly 70 people, in 2008. By 2017, the population of the village was 686. The Palestinian village of Umm Al-Khair, is located in the Masafer Yatta region and Area C of the Occupied West Bank, which is under full Israeli civil and military control. The residents of Umm Al-Khair are a model of resilience in the face of occupation and ethnic cleansing. Their ancestors were expelled from their homes in what is now Israel in 1948 before purchasing the land of their current village. The village is comprised of Bedouin refugees who were expelled from the Negev after 1948 & purchased the land from residents of Yatta. In 1980, parts of their land were seized for ‘security' purposes, which soon turned out to be the establishment of the Carmel settlement. For several years, Umm Al-Khair has been under constant threat of demolition and expulsion as the State of Israel seeks to confine Area C Palestinians into ever smaller areas. The residents of the settlement--just a 2 minute walk away--live in swanky modern homes with government-supplied electricity and running water; Umm Al-Khair residents lack permits to build a sufficient number of permanent structures, regularly purchase overpriced tanks for their water, and rely on donated solar panels for limited electricity. The stark contrast between the settlement and Umm Al-Khair is one of the clearest views of Israel's apartheid system. Since October 7, the situation in Umm Al-Khair has become worse than residents can ever remember, and the village's neediest families, all of whom have lost their sources of income due to Israeli travel restrictions and settler violence, urgently need our support. The harassement and the raids come not random by trespassers — they are settlers, including brainwashed teenagers, from illegal outposts such as Khavat Shoroshim (run by the extremist Shimon Attia) and Mashek Manne (run by the extremist Isachar Manne, who has been under sanctions). **Chronology (ongoing)** **On June 26, 2024** Civil Administration personnel came with military and Border Police escort and three diggers. They demolished the homes of two families, leaving 24 Palestinians, 15 of them minors, homeless. **On June 27, 2024** In the morning the Israeli army raided the village of Umm Al-Khair and destroyed at least 11 homes and structures in the village, including its community tent. 40 people in the village were now newly homeless. **On June 29, 2024 ** 3 settler youths from the nearby violent outpost of Shorashim Farm (founded by Shimon Attia) entered a house, pushed the residents, and pepper sprayed a youth. They called Shimon who arrived with the army and settler security. **July 1st, 2024** 2 settlers from Shorashim Farm took their sheep into the village & mixed them up with the village flocks. Shimon arrived with another settler youth & attacked a resident with a rod while the youth pepper sprayed a group of women. A 5 yr-old girl was also injured. in all the commotion, Shimon fired shots into the air. An ambulance came for the wounded residents but Shimon attempted to block it, claiming that the wounded had attacked him. **July 2, 2024** Shimon arrived to the area of the village, accompanied by a military jeep & security vehicle, and set up a tent. The police told the residents that Shimon was allowed to be there because it was ‘state land’ & that he was permitted to build the tent.Later on, more & more settlers arrived. Guarded by soldiers, they held a prayer service by the village. As the settlers packed up, they threatened to return and rebuild the tent deeper inside the village. As they left, the settlers cut multiple holes through the village’s water pipes. **On July 3, 2024** (Report from the activist Elisheva Goldberg) On Wednesday, the Israeli army and settler security forces demolished about a quarter of Umm al-Khair, without prior warning. Some homes had demolition orders pending for 18 years. Eid Al Hathaleen, his wife, and four daughters lost their home and were left homeless with no time to appeal or remove belongings. Eid has since been sleeping on the rubble. *In the days that followed (Between July 3 and 6)* Settlers from the illegal Shorashim farm, led by Shimon Attia and accompanied by men in IDF uniforms, entered the village multiple times, firing live ammunition and tear gas. Injuries Reported: - A 5-year-old girl was injured. - One man was shot. - Two elderly women were hospitalized due to tear gas exposure. Evidence of settlement expansion was visible throughout the village. Settlers even pitched a tent and prayed inside the village, and blocked access roads to prevent aid from reaching residents. The settlers cut off the village's water supply, leaving 250 residents without water for drinking, cooking, or bathing—during extreme summer heat. The combined actions of settlers and the military appear aimed at making life unlivable for Palestinians in Umm al-Khair, effectively pushing them off their land. **On July 5, 2024** The Israeli army, accompanied by settler security, completely unannounced, demolished nearly a quarter of the village. Buildings that have had demolition orders for 18 years. One of the homes was the house of Eid Al Hathaleen. **On July 26, 2024** The Israeli army raided the village of Umm Al-Khair and destroyed at least 11 homes and structures in the village, including its community tent. 40 people in the village are now newly homeless and the need is greater than ever; At the end of the same month, a fundraiser allowed quickly to raise enough monney to help to rebuilt their community. **On October 26, 2024** Settlers, led by Shimon Atiya and escorted by Israeli soldiers, invaded the village with a herd, grazing between homes. A U.S. solidarity activist documenting the event was arrested by Israeli police. **On February 2** Residents of Umm al-Khair woke to settlers using heavy tools to drill and measure land near their homes, claiming ownership. Villagers were powerless to intervene. The operation was led by Issachar Man from the Masek Man outpost and Shimon Atiya from the Havat Shorashim outpost, accompanied by others known for violence. A video of the land seizure was shamelessly posted on the Mount Hebron Council’s Facebook page, suggesting settler actions are not just tolerated but openly supported. **On February 4** Settlers from the 'Carmel' outpost are trying to seize land in Umm al-Khair by planting an olive groves **On February 14, 2025** For Tu BiShvat holiday, settlers find the opportunity to steal from the Palestinians. Dozens of settlers gathered inside the village and began planting trees and placing the flags Israel. This is a new step of establishing and outpost inside the Um al-Khair village with the protection of the Israeli authorities. **On April 7, 2025** Israeli settlers have begun placing caravans just meters from residents' homes, according to the Al-Baydar Organization. One was parked inside Umm al-Khair, where settlers had recently planted trees and raised an Israeli flag. Dozens of settlers, led by Shimon Atiya, attacked the village, attempting to breach the fence and assaulting residents with clubs. At least three people — including a child and a young adult — were injured and taken to the hospital. Later, under army protection, Shimon Attia was seen cutting a fence inside the village. **On April 15, 2025** Settler-shepherds grazerd their flocks right in the heart of the village under the protection — and false legal cover — of the Israeli occupation forces and police. They come from illegal outposts such as Khavat Shoroshim and Mashek Manne. They traveled many kilometers from different directions to invade the community and disrupt the lives, and spread terror. A resident testified *"What makes this even more painful is that they are grazing their flocks on our privately farmed land, where we have planted barley after months of hard work and with large financial investment. These crops are essential — not just for feeding our families, but for keeping our livestock alive. While we are forbidden from grazing even a few meters outside our village, they roam freely and destroy everything we’ve worked for. Many of us depend on this land to survive, and now it is being trampled and devoured in front of our eyes. This is not just provocation — it is part of a deliberate campaign to pressure us into leaving our homes. It’s a clear example of the settlers’ strategy of slow, methodical displacement."*

Ras Al-Ein Al-Auja, is a farmer communities in the south of the Jordan Valley, in the eastern West Bank, located ten kilometers north of Jericho. Al-Auja (Arabic: العوجا) is the nearest Palestinian town in the Jericho Governorate of the State of Palestine. Agricultural land makes up over 10% of the town's area, mostly planted with bananas, oranges, and vegetables for which al-Auja is well known. Irrigation water is mainly supplied from the al-Auja spring and this is regularly attacked by Israeli Stellers in order to harass the Bedouin communities. Israeli soldiers support the settlers and allow impunity escalating the water apartheid. Ein al-Auja has been subject to frequent attacks by Israeli settlers, who have established several colonial outposts in the surrounding area over the past few years, in an attempt to take control of the land and water resources of the area and prevent local Palestinians’ access. Several Activist groups record and support the local communities : Mistaclim, Standing Together. On January 28, 2024, the Jewish-Arab solidarity guard (Standing Together) in northern Israel organized a [meeting](https://x.com/omdimbeyachad/status/1751611899874021769)between Palestinians and Jews in the Ras al-Ein village, where participants discussed life over the past few months and how to build strong networks of solidarity between Palestinians and Jews in the north. ### On February 4, 2024 On the holy Shabbos and with white shirts, armed settlers, invading the barn with the aim of stealing and looting the sheep of the Palestinian shepherds community. With the knowledge and under the auspices of the security forces who were informed, but did not prevent. Settlers terror is a daily reality. ### On June 22, 2024 In Ras al-Ain, Israeli settlers and soldiers fired weapons, stole livestock, and carried out arbitrary arrests ### On July 16, 2024 Settler Drone Terror in Ras al-Ain : A settler drone crashed over Ras al-Ain, prompting armed forces to invade, harass, and intimidate residents late into the night. Settlers, with military backing, act above the law—recently stealing livestock under their protection. ### On Augustus 4, 2024 Israeli settlers physically attacked Andrey X (Mistaclim) and his colleague and Palestinians, in an attempt to prevent the villagers of Ras al-Ein from getting water. Incidents like this now happen daily at al-Auja Spring. ### On Augustus 18, 2024 This morning in Ras al-Ein, the army detained a Palestinian resident and removed human rights activists protecting him. Meanwhile, far-right "Im Tirtzu" members stood by, taking photos and cursing undisturbed. The detained Palestinian was later released after hours in the sun with his eyes covered. Despite rising Jewish terrorist acts and criticism of security forces, they continue to cooperate with the extreme right. ### On Augustus 19, 2024 Israeli settler gangs are cutting off water lines belonging to Palestinian farmers near the Al-Auja spring, close to Jericho. ### On September 18, 2024 Settlers arrived in a car and, under cover of darkness, cut the water pipes of the Palestinian community. Activists who were called to the scene for help called the security forces but were searched by them. After completing the sabotage, the criminals got drunk. According to a soldier, the piping is illegal, and therefore settelerqq are allowed to take the law into their own hands. Stellers arrived masked and in the army uniform. ### On November 2, 2024 A group of settlers armed with clubs entered a private yard in the village, instigating violence and attacking residents.Activists present at the scene to mediate and prevent escalation were also attacked by settlers wielding clubs. Gabriel Kalish, security coordinator of Mevo'ot Jericho, who had no jurisdiction in the village, arrived armed and reportedly took part in the altercation. Israeli army and police arrived on-site but allegedly joined the settlers in searching local homes, arresting village residents, and searching vehicles under the pretext of seeking "wanted persons." The settlers involved in the initial attack were not detained by authorities. ### On November 3, 2024, A group of illegal Israeli colonizers attacked a family gathering, on Saturday afternoon, in the Ras ‘Ein al ‘Auja community, northwest of Jericho in the northeastern part of the occupied West Bank. They terrorized the Palestinian residents, before Israeli soldiers abducted the citizen, Muhammad Ishaq, and his two nephews, Jamal and Musa Ahmad Ishaq, while allowing the attackers to go free. ### On November 30, 2024 A settler leads his herd to the trough of the Palestinian herds. ### On December 12, 2024, Settlers Use Camels to Terrorize Ras al-Ain.A herd of settler camels roamed between homes in Ras al-Ain, frightening residents and children—another deliberate tactic to drive Palestinians out and seize their land. These daily invasions occur with the backing of security forces and authorities. ### On December 13, 2024, - Event A: A settler on horseback disrupted a wedding tent, intimidating children before leaving. - Event B: A settler and several shepherds, accompanied by Mevo'ot Yericho’s security coordinator (outside his jurisdiction), led a sheep herd near a Palestinian home. Activists drove them away. - Event C: Settlers attempted to bring camels near village homes. Activists intervened, and after army involvement, they left. Minors, sent by irresponsible adults, were caught on video setting fires. ### On January 1, 2025 In Ras al-Ain Auja, settlers blocked Ein Auja’s water canal to cut off supply to a Palestinian village. When two activists arrived to remove the blockade, three settlers from a nearby illegal outpost attacked them, kicking and threatening them. Military security coordinator Gabriel Kalish stood by, filming and protecting the settlers. The activists were forced to flee. Police were called. ### On January 8, 2025 Andrey X, activist in Mistaclim NGO, was arrested by the Israeli police on the orders of illegal settlers and banned from West Bank for 15 days while he was directed a reporting on the Al-Ain communities. ### On February 17, 2025 A settler sends a minor to graze in a Palestinian field, then falsely claims assault. Police and Border Police, without evidence, arrest the Palestinian child while allowing settlers to remain. The same day, Israeli settlers have diverted the course of the Al-Auja Spring, a vital water source in the Jordan Valley, to prevent Palestinian residents in Bedouin communities from accessing it, according to Al Baydar Organization. The incident exemplifies a pattern where attacks by settlers lead to the arrest of the targeted residents, reinforcing allegations of systemic bias against Palestinian communities. ### On March 8, 2025 On the night of March 8, 2025, hundreds of sheep were stolen by armed Israeli settlers from Palestinian owners in Ras al-Ain Aujah, South Jordan Valley. Despite activists from *Looking The Occupation in The Eye* documenting the theft and reporting it to authorities, no action was taken. The coordinated attack, allegedly involving settlers, police, and the army, led to the beating and arrest of a Palestinian shepherd, falsely accused of stealing his own sheep. Another Palestinian suffered a hand injury from shrapnel. The settlers used a deceptive tactic—mixing their herd with Palestinian flocks—to falsely claim that their sheep had been stolen. Similar methods were used in previous cases, but video evidence had previously led to the acquittal of an accused Palestinian shepherd. After midnight, police claimed the stolen sheep were available for pickup near an outpost, but upon arrival, only 22 sheep were returned. By morning, it was confirmed that over 1,000 sheep were stolen, with additional reports of goats being killed. Some stolen herds were seen being led toward Kochav Hashar. **Sources :** [1](https://imemc.org/article/israeli-forces-abduct-five-palestinians-near-jericho-and-salfit/) ### On March 10, 2025 Israeli forces demolished a house under construction in the village of Al-Auja, north of Jericho in the occupied West Bank. ### On April 1, 2025 On April 1, 2025, 4 Palestinians were injured on Tuesday in an attack by Israeli colonists on park-goers at Ein al-Auja, north of Jericho. Settlers under the protection of Israeli forces, attacked the citizens who were enjoying a visit to Ein al-Auja on the third day of Eid al-Fitr. - They sprayed them with pepper spray and physically assaulted others, resulting in injuries and burns of varying severity to four citizens. - They brought a herd of sheep with them and released them to graze in the area, in an effort to force the visitors to leave the site. - They seize Al-Auja spring north of Jericho, prevent Palestinians from accessing water & take control of the Al-Auja water stream, according to Al-Baydar Organization.

Umm Safa is a village in the Ramallah district of the West Bank, facing severe land seizure by Israeli settlers and military forces. The village has experienced regular invasions and attacks, with settlers and soldiers harassing residents, cutting water supplies, and storming homes, leading to a growing humanitarian crisis. ### Land Seizure: Israeli settlers, backed by the army, have been expropriating private lands from the village, leveling and destroying agricultural areas, including olive and grape trees. Settlers brought bulldozers to prepare the land for illegal settlement expansion on Jabal al-Ras and Abu Tantur hills. ### Impact on Residents: - The village has been under constant attacks from settlers and the Israeli army, with settler violence intensifying, especially since 2023. - Settlers have already fired live bullets at homes, disrupted daily life, and attacked the local school during school hours. - Multiple Palestinian youths, including Mohammed al-Bayed and Abdul Jiwad Salah, were killed while resisting the settler invasions. ## Protests and Suppression: - Villagers, alongside International or Jewish anti-sionist activists, protested the land seizures. These protests have been met with violent suppression by Israeli forces, using tear gas and stun grenades. Soldiers have destroyed monuments dedicated to villagers killed by the army, further intensifying tensions. ## International Appeal: The people and council of Umm Safa are appealing to the international community for solidarity and intervention, calling for action to stop the ongoing land theft, harassment, and displacement. Residents and solidarity activists have been persistently calling for international attention and justice, documenting these ongoing attacks and human rights violations. ## Chronological summary of the recent events in Umm Safa **January 2024** - January 2: Israeli settlers, protected by the military, began bulldozing land in the Jabal al-Ras area of Umm Safa, initiating large-scale land theft aimed at settlement expansion. - January 9: Palestinian man, Ameed Ibrahim Samih Jayousi (31), was killed by Israeli forces. His body was reportedly taken by settlers from a Palestinian ambulance near Umm Safa. - January 13: Israeli anti-apartheid activists visited Umm Safa as attacks from settlers and Israeli military forces increased. - January 20: Israeli forces suppressed Palestinian farmers and tried to prevent them from reaching their lands. Villagers, along with activists, planted olive trees on private lands, but the army uprooted them and fired tear gas at those present. **February 2024** - February 18: Israeli forces kidnapped a young Palestinian man, Muhammad Samih Karaja, after raiding his house in Umm Safa. **May 2024** - May 25: Every Friday, settlers from Ateret settlement have invaded the village’s lands, protected by the army. During this specific Friday, the army not only protected the settlers but also shot stun grenades and gas bombs into the village, setting a field on fire. **July 2024** - July 12: Israeli forces invaded a house in the village, took over the roof, and threw stun grenades at activists documenting the invasion. **September 2024** - September 9: Israeli bulldozers demolished approximately 200,000 m² of cultivated land in the Jabal al-Ras region, including olive and grape trees. Settlers and soldiers invaded the village, intensifying land destruction and harassment. - September 11: Villagers of Umm Safa issued an urgent appeal to the international community, highlighting the continuous attacks by Israeli settlers and soldiers, with blockades cutting off access points to the village and daily harassment. They warned of impending displacement and ethnic cleansing due to the rapid settlement expansion. - September 14: Israeli forces suppressed a peaceful anti-settlement protest march in Umm Safa with tear gas. Villagers and activists were demonstrating against the ongoing land seizures by settlers. - September 15: Settlers continued leveling land just meters away from homes. Israeli forces again used stun grenades and tear gas to disperse demonstrators protesting the theft of 123.5 acres of land by settlers. **March 2025** - March 10 : A group of settlers infiltrated the western side of the village in the early hours of the morning and stormed a car garage belonging to citizen Mohammad Yusuf al-Sabti Sabah and his brother Raafat, where they set it on fire, which led to the complete burning of three vehicles.  ## Ongoing Attacks and Resistance: - Throughout 2024, Umm Safa has been subjected to repeated attacks, with settlers frequently raiding homes, cutting water supplies, and threatening residents. The Israeli military has protected these settlers, often using force to suppress protests from the villagers. - Villagers have tried to resist the settler takeovers by protesting, planting trees on their land, and collaborating with activists, but their efforts have been violently suppressed by Israeli forces. ### Sources : [https://x.com/activestills/status/1809635795071885690](url) [https://x.com/Mistaclim/status/1811848511329120455](url) [https://x.com/PulseofPal/status/1833150391124443183](url) [https://x.com/gazanotice/status/1835125987350069470](url) [https://x.com/imemcnews/status/1834992391532454267](url) [https://x.com/transandwell/status/1834902811550629921](url) [https://x.com/ytirawi/status/1794371379409678695](url) [https://x.com/ytirawi/status/1791901520344101365](url) [https://imemc.org/article/army-suppresses-anti-settlement-march-near-ramallah/](url)