"This morning: Our elderly shepherd friend from the village of Qawawis was arrested again (for the fourth time in recent months), while on his private land near the village. The soldiers who arrested him are actually trained settlers from the Mitzpe Yair outpost, who have been trying to violently take over Gawawis' land for years, with or without khaki uniforms.

The reason for the arrest according to the settler soldiers: "He was next to the road." The road is an illegal road that the settlers built on the lands of the residents of Qawawis when the outpost was established around 2000. Even according to the apartheid laws that separate Israelis and Palestinians, Palestinians are allowed to be on/near the road in question. But who needs laws when there is colonialism? "

This village in Masafer Yatta area was regularly harass by violent settlers in order to steal their land. The police's deliberate daily disregard for these crimes enables and legitimizes future attacks. The apartheid regime's unwillingness to enforce the law on settlers serves as an incentive for their acts of terror.

Chronology :

2020

On April 21, 2020, Jabarin Abu ‘Aram, a 56-year-old father of nine, was grazing his flock near Qawawis when two settlers from the Mitzpe Yair outpost approached him. One pepper-sprayed him, and both threw stones at him, stealing two of his goats. Abu ‘Aram’s wife intervened, but the settlers fled with the goats. Despite reporting the incident and providing evidence to the police, no action was taken, and the goats were never returned. Abu ‘Aram expressed frustration at the lack of protection, noting that settlers operate with impunity, leaving his family in fear of constant attacks. The outpost of Mitzpe Yair, established in 1998, has a history of encroaching on Palestinian lands near Route 317. source

2024

On Sunday, March 17, Jibril Nu’man, 59, was grazing his flock on his private land near Qawawis when a settler soldier ordered him to leave. After refusing, Nu’man and another shepherd, Taleb Nu’man, were handcuffed, detained for five hours without food during Ramadan, and taken to a military camp before being released later that evening.

On Saturday, March 23, Jibril Nu’man was again grazing his flock, this time with three Israeli activists, when a settler arrived, followed by two masked soldiers. One soldier threatened Nu’man with a gun, argued over the land’s ownership, and forced him to hand over his ID. After further confrontation, the soldiers tied and blindfolded Nu’man, beat him, and took him to a nearby camp, where he was detained for several hours without food, water, or the ability to pray. He was eventually dropped off far from his village.

In a testimony he gave B'tselem field researcher Basel al-Adrah on 23 March 2024, Jibril Nu’man recounted his detention by soldiers, some of whom he recognized as settlers

On May 15, Jibrin Abu Aram was arrested for the fourth time in recent months while on his private land by the soldiers-settlers from the Mitzpe Yair outpost, which has been attempting to seize Qawawis' land for years. The stated reason was his presence near an illegal road built by settlers on Palestinian land. Even under apartheid laws, Palestinians are allowed near the road, but colonial practices disregard such laws.

2025

On January 2: When settlers attacked Jibrin Abu Aram's neighbor the day before, the army and police refused to intervene, highlighting their role in perpetuating abuse against Palestinians to force them off their land.

Settlers infiltrated the village of Qawawis late at night and attacked Khaled Al-Najjar brutally. This is not the first time that Najjar has been injured in a settler attack; in 2001, he was seriously wounded when a settler shot him in the stomach. Yesterday, solidarity activists and residents of Qawawis tried several times to speak with the police and urged them to expel the settlers who invade the village lands and destroy fruit trees with their herds, but the police merely ask the settler to move. Five minutes later, as he goes deeper into the Palestinian orchards with his herd, they refuse to send the police back to the scene

On January 3: Soldiers arrested Jibrin Abu Aram from Qawawis while he visited his destroyed house on his private land. They pushed solidarity activists and harassed him, arresting him when he refused to leave.