Ras al Ain : The Robbers - the Police - and the Stolen Flock

No.

16002

Date

21 March, 2025

Found by

Mistaclim

Original Social Media Post

"The Robbers - the Police - and the Stolen Flock The Israel Police does not investigate the settlers’ crimes as a matter of deliberate policy of foot-dragging, even when the crimes are perpetrated before their open eyes. On Friday, March 7th, a planned and well organized armed robbery of over 1000 livestock - sheep and goats - took place in the village Ras Al-ain/Al-auja located north of Jericho. About two weeks later, on Friday March 21st (yesterday), a group of journalists accompanied by human rights activists toured the area of the expelled Bedouin village of Ras al-tin in order to gather information for a report on the robbery of the livestock. The activists belong to the southern Hebron, southern Jordan Valley and “Looking Occupation in the Eye” activists groups. The Palestinians had grounds to suspect that the flock was now located in the vicinity of Ras-al tin. The journalists collected testimony regarding the markings of the herds, and were given photographs of the flock and two dogs that disappeared together with them. When the group arrived at the area, they ran into a herd of about 100 sheep and a few goats. ]. The groups documented the sheep that bore the markings described by their owners. The settlers claim these sheep belong to them. Some of the sheep bore the palestinian markings, while other sheep bore the markings used by the settlers (an earring with a numbered tag.) It seems that the stolen herds have been commingled into the settlers’ herds. Once the journalists documented the marked sheep, they intended to leave, but young settlers that arrived from an outpost a few kilometers away, physically blocked the group from leaving. The settlers also tried to detain one of the photographers. The Police and army forces were summoned by the activists. Upon arrival, they only took the testimony of the settlers and as is their practice detained an activist and a German journalist for a police interrogation based on false excuses and accusations. The two people detained were released a few hours later. Now that the Israeli Police have in their possession concrete information regarding the whereabouts of some of the stolen livestock, we would like to think they would be motivated to begin an investigation and perhaps locate the rest of the missing flock. We would hope that, for a change, they would fulfill their responsibilities to carry out justice and right the wrong perpetrated against the rightful owners of the animals that were stolen that night. Ironically, at the time of the robbery - the police arrested none of the perpetrators and instead arrested one of the victims whose herd had been stolen… Apartheid." - Source

Tags

Archivist Notes: Ras Al-Ein Al-Auja under settlers terror

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 meetingbetween 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

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.

The details for each video come from social media. None of it has been verified.