Latest news with #PalestinianBedouins
Gulf Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Israeli settlers accused of killing 117 sheep in West Bank attack
Palestinian Bedouins accused Israeli settlers on Friday of killing 117 sheep in an overnight attack and stealing hundreds of others in an apparent effort to chase farmers off their land in the occupied West Bank. The incident comes amid what the United Nations described this week as intensifying attacks by Jewish settlers and security forces against Palestinians in the West Bank and record mass displacements. The Israeli army did not respond to a request for comment about the mass slaughter of the animals belonging to the Arab Al Kaabaneh Bedouin community, in the Jordan Valley. Veterinarians were called in to treat a handful of sheep which had survived the knife and gun attack, some of the animals shaking uncontrollably and in apparent shock. A Palestinian checks wounded sheep after settlers attack a Bedouin community in the Jordan valley, in West Bank. Reuters Salem Salman Mujahed, a resident of Arab Al Kaabaneh, said multiple groups of settlers working in coordination had orchestrated the assault, and accused the army of standing by. "(Settlers) came near the houses. I asked them what are you doing here then we started fighting with each other," he said. "The army detained me, and they handcuffed me." He said other groups of settlers then attacked the sheep, which are vital to his community's survival. Reuters was unable to independently verify who was responsible for the attack. A Palestinian Bedouin walks in a community as an Israeli settlement stands in the back ground in the Jordan valley, West Bank. Reuters Palestinian Minister Moayad Shaaban condemned the incident, calling it part of a broader strategy to displace Palestinians from the region. "These sheep and animals were slaughtered and shot at," he told Reuters. "They are using these tools to terrify these people to leave these areas, which have been inhabited for dozens of years." MOVING AWAY The attack prompted at least one family to begin relocating. Bedouin Tareq Kaabaneh said he could no longer withstand what he called settler intimidation. "They were armed, they steal donkeys and sheep. In the night they come here and start shooting toward us," Kaabaneh said. "I am moving now from here, I want to protect my kids and my sheep, my livelihood ... yesterday I was safe, but I don't know what will happen to me tomorrow," he added. The United Nations reported this week that mass displacements in the West Bank had reached levels unprecedented since Israel first took military control of the territory nearly six decades ago. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva also said there had been 757 settler attacks on Palestinians or their properties since January - a 13% increase from the same period last year. At least 964 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023. The US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee demanded this week a full investigation into the killing of a Palestinian American who was beaten to death by settlers in the West Bank on July 11, describing it as a "criminal and terrorist act." The United Nations' highest court said last year that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, was illegal and should end as soon as possible. Reuters
The Sun
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Israeli settlers kill 117 sheep in West Bank attack, Palestinians displaced
JORDAN VALLEY: Palestinian Bedouins have accused Israeli settlers of killing 117 sheep and stealing hundreds more in an overnight attack in the occupied West Bank. The assault, described as an effort to force farmers off their land, comes amid escalating violence and record displacements in the region. The Arab al-Kaabaneh Bedouin community reported that settlers carried out a coordinated attack, using knives and guns to slaughter the animals. Veterinarians treated surviving sheep, some visibly traumatized. Salem Salman Mujahed, a resident, claimed settlers attacked near homes while Israeli forces stood by. Palestinian Minister Moayad Shaaban condemned the incident, calling it a deliberate tactic to displace Palestinians. 'They are using these tools to terrify these people to leave these areas,' he said. The attack has already forced at least one family to relocate, fearing further violence. The United Nations reported unprecedented mass displacements in the West Bank, with 757 settler attacks recorded since January—a 13% increase from last year. Over 964 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the Gaza war began in October 2023. The U.S. Ambassador to Israel demanded an investigation into the recent killing of a Palestinian American by settlers, calling it a 'criminal and terrorist act.' The International Court of Justice has ruled Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories illegal, though Israel disputes this, citing security and historical claims. - Reuters
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Israeli settlers accused of killing 117 sheep in West Bank attack
JORDAN VALLEY, West Bank - Palestinian Bedouins accused Israeli settlers on Friday of killing 117 sheep in an overnight attack and stealing hundreds of others in an apparent effort to chase farmers off their land in the occupied West Bank. The incident comes amid what the United Nations described this week as intensifying attacks by Jewish settlers and security forces against Palestinians in the West Bank and record mass displacements. The Israeli army did not respond to a request for comment about the mass slaughter of the animals belonging to the Arab al-Kaabaneh Bedouin community, in the Jordan Valley. Veterinarians were called in to treat a handful of sheep which had survived the knife and gun attack, some of the animals shaking uncontrollably and in apparent shock. Salem Salman Mujahed, a resident of Arab al-Kaabaneh, said multiple groups of settlers working in coordination had orchestrated the assault, and accused the army of standing by. "(Settlers) came near the houses. I asked them what are you doing here then we started fighting with each other," he said. "The army detained me, and they handcuffed me." He said other groups of settlers then attacked the sheep, which are vital to his community's survival. Reuters was unable to independently verify who was responsible for the attack. Palestinian Minister Moayad Shaaban condemned the incident, calling it part of a broader strategy to displace Palestinians from the region. "These sheep and animals were slaughtered and shot at," he told Reuters. "They are using these tools to terrify these people to leave these areas, which have been inhabited for dozens of years." MOVING AWAY The attack prompted at least one family to begin relocating. Bedouin Tareq Kaabaneh said he could no longer withstand what he called settler intimidation. "They were armed, they steal donkeys and sheep. In the night they come here and start shooting toward us," Kaabaneh said. "I am moving now from here, I want to protect my kids and my sheep, my livelihood ... yesterday I was safe, but I don't know what will happen to me tomorrow," he added. The United Nations reported this week that mass displacements in the West Bank had reached levels unprecedented since Israel first took military control of the territory nearly six decades ago. The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva also said there had been 757 settler attacks on Palestinians or their properties since January - a 13% increase from the same period last year. At least 964 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023. Over the same period, 53 Israelis have been killed in attacks by Palestinians or in armed clashes. The U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee demanded this week a full investigation into the killing of a Palestinian American who was beaten to death by settlers in the West Bank on July 11, describing it as a "criminal and terrorist act". The United Nations' highest court said last year that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, was illegal and should end as soon as possible. Israel disputes this, citing security needs as well as historical and biblical ties to the land, which it captured in the 1967 Middle East war. The West Bank is among the territories Palestinians seek for an independent state. REUTERS
Leaders
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Leaders
Colombia Holds Conference to End Israeli Occupation of Palestine
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese said that the 30-country conference held on Tuesday to halt Israel's occupation of Palestine stands out as one of the most important political developments of the past 20 months, Arab News reported. Set to run for a couple of days in the Colombian capital Bogota, the conference highlights the participation of several representatives from countries including China, Spain and Qatar. Participating countries will seize the opportunity and use the event as a platform to lay the groundwork for implementing a UN General Assembly motion. Therefore, they will urge member states to press on Israel to put an end to its illegal occupation of Palestine. This motion featured a deadline of September for carrying out the International Court of Justice's 2024 opinion which concluded that Israel's occupation of Palestine is unlawful. Moreover, UN member states also have an obligation 'not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel's illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territory,' the court found. Colombia's President, Gustavo Petro, who is hosting the conference, said that the meeting will represent a global will to move from condemnation to collective action against Israel. 'We can either stand firm in defense of the legal principles that seek to prevent war and conflict, or watch helplessly as the international system collapses under the weight of unchecked power politics,' he said in an article for The Guardian last week. Related Topics: 60 MPs Urge UK to Immediately Recognize Palestinian State Palestinian Bedouins Flee West Bank out of Settler Violence Governor of Aseer Region Welcomes Palestinian Ambassador Short link : Post Views: 40
Leaders
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Leaders
UN Rights Office Reports Increasing Settler Attacks in Occupied West Bank
The UN Human Rights Office said that violence against Palestinians in the West Bank is growing with increasing number of killings and attacks by settlers and security forces, according to Reuters. Violent Incidents Israel Kills American Citizens in West Bank. 'Israeli settlers and security forces have intensified their killings, attacks and harassment of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in the past weeks,' Thameen Al-Kheetan, a spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OCHCR), told reporters in Geneva. Israeli settlers' violence against Palestinians has sparked anger and frustration towards the US as Palestinians mourned the death of two men, one of them a Palestinian American, killed by settlers. Approximately 1 million Israeli settlers live in illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in violation of international law. OHCHR noted that settlers have launched 757 attacks on Palestinians or their properties since January 2025. Forcible Displacement Palestinian Bedouins Flee West Bank out of Settler Violence Since the launch of the Israeli military operation 'Iron Wall', nearly 30,000 Palestinians have suffered forcible displacement in the north of the West Bank. Last week, thirty Palestinian families were forced to leave their homes in a remote area of the occupied West Bank due to the mounting violence of Israeli settlers. Members of the Bedouin Mleihat tribe started to dismantle homes built with iron sheets and wooden boards, after years of escalating harassment and attacks by settlers. 'The settlers are armed and attack us, and the (Israeli) military protects them. We can't do anything to stop them. We can't take it anymore, so we decided to leave,' said Mahmoud Mleihat, a 50-year-old father of seven from the community. Crucially, Israeli human rights group B'Tselem has documented persistent acts of violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in Mu'arrajat, near Jericho. Building Jewish State Palestinian Bedouins Flee West Bank out of Settler Violence In May, Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel planned to build a 'Jewish Israeli state' in the occupied West Bank, according to Al-Arabiya. Katz's remarks followed Israel's announcement of the creation of 22 new settlements in the West Bank. He also noted that the new settlements would be a clear message to French President Emmanuel Macron and his associates: they will recognize a Palestinian state on paper – but Israel will build the Jewish Israeli state here on the ground. Annexing West Bank In this context, fifteen Israeli Cabinet Ministers from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party have recently pushed him to immediately annex the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The lawmakers have signed a petition requesting the administration 'to apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria (West Bank) before the end of the Knesset summer session,' which ends on July 27. They also implied that the current moment is appropriate for the annexation thanks to strong US-Israeli relations and the recent military gains. Related Topics: Israel Kills American Citizens in West Bank, Anger Turns toward US Likud Ministers Urge Netanyahu to Annex West Bank Arab Ministers Condemn Israel's Ban on West Bank Visit Short link : Post Views: 2
