Politics
West Bank Palestinians terrorised by Israeli settlers
The al-Khaleel Valley, on the outskirts of the village of al Mughayyir in the West Bank and was, until very recently, home to two Palestinian families. But over the weekend of 20 and 21 February, both families were forcibly displaced from their homes and land. This marks the end of a two year campaign of harassment and violence towards these Palestinians, by armed settlers and Israeli occupation forces (IOF).
The Abu Najeh family compound comprised of 12 families, a total of around 50 people.
But, fearing for their lives, they packed up their belongings and evacuated the area. A few days previously, the IOF entered their homes, with the excuse they were looking for three men who had supposedly thrown rocks at settlers. The IOF did not find the men they claimed to be looking for. But they broke security cameras, and detained a family member overnight, because he had been seen filming settlers.
West Bank violence continues
Majid Omari, 32, is Abu Najeh’s grandson and one of the three men the IOF had wanted to arrest. Because the settlers recognise his face and his car, Omari was terrified they would attack or kill him. This led the family, under the cover of darkness, to finally flee their homes and land, with no chance of returning in the near future. When they left, they burnt their remaining possessions, to prevent the settlers materially benefitting from the Abu Najeh family’s dispossession.
This is the sixth time the Israeli occupation has displaced Abu Najeh in his lifetime of 80 years.
Israeli occupation’s intention is ‘to expel Bedouin people who illegally occupy the area’
On 1 February a deportation hearing took place, involving International Solidarity Movement (ISM) activists who had provided protective presence for the Abu Najeh and Abu Hammam family. During the hearing, the Zionist regime admitted it’s intention is to “expel Bedouin people who illegally occupy the area.”
When the family left, Omari told ISM activists:
Urgent intervention is needed to protect us. But we trust we will return one day. Because the land is ours. It’s Palestinian.
The next day, 21 February, saw settlers violently attacking the Abu Hammam family. This was the only other remaining family in the Khaleel Valley, but has now also been forcibly displaced.
Umm Hammam told the Canary the Israeli occupation’s army had, on the previous Tuesday, demanded the family leave the area within four days or they would be expelled by force. She says that for four miserable days after the army’s visit, the family was unable to sleep, eat or do anything because of the escalating settler violence.
She recounts the events of the Saturday to the Canary:
We were visited by settlers at about 2pm. They cornered us in the cave, and started throwing stones at us. While they were inside the cave, they destroyed everything around them. They destroyed the water tanks, the solar panels, the whole kitchen. Olive oil, flour and sugar were poured everywhere. When they left, Moshe came.
Settlers not only violently attacked Umm Hammam’s family but also destroyed everything
Umm Hammam described the scene:
He was accompanied by four settlers. They were all armed to the teeth. They started attacking us, beating us. The first to be beaten were Hidaya (Umm Hammam”s daughter in law),and Rizq ( Umm Hammam’s 70 year old husband, known as Abu Hammam).
After they finished attacking us, Moshi told us to go home, meaning back to the tent. He said he would shoot us if we didn”t go.
And:
The settlers then stole the batteries, and destroyed the solar panels and all our edible things. Flour, olive oil and sugar were tipped over the floor. They even fed our chicken food to their animals. Then the settlers set the tents alight. There was only time to run away, and we left with only the clothes we were wearing. They destroyed everything, and burnt the blankets and matresses we slept on, they told us that if we didn’t leave that day we would all die. Moshe had his gun prepared, and was ready to shoot all of us.
At the same time, residents of al Mughayyir village along with international activists attempted to reach the Abu Hammam family home and provide them with support. But settlers and the IOF opened fire on them, and prevented them from doing so. 13 year old Naseem Shaker Thabta was shot in the foot, while Ayham Rizq Awad Abu Hammam, 36, was shot in the back and, as of 27 February is still hospitalised.
A doctor told the Canary, on 27 February, that Ayham is still in hospital but has now been moved from the intensive care unit to the surgical ward. He is on strong painkillers, and is in a stable condition although internal bleeding is still occuring. Doctors are observing him, and have scheduled a CT scan in the next few days, to locate the source of bleeding and the bullet location.
Crimes of Israeli occupation forces and illegal settlers are only possible because of international inaction
By Saturday evening, a huge Israeli flag had been erected on the hilltop between where Abu Najer’s and Abu Hammam’s families had been living.
What has happened to the Abu Najeh and Abu Hammam families are not isolated incidents. The same pattern of violence and displacement is happening throughout the West Bank, on a daily basis. The IOF and settlers work together to carry out their crimes, and are never held to account. Palestinians have no one to protect them, and no hope of any justice. Attacks on their families and homes usually result in their arrest, while global impunity ensures the perpetrators of these crimes answer to no one.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), almost 700 Palestinians in nine communities have been displaced between 1 January and 18 February 2026. During the same time period, the Israeli occupation has also demolished around 170 Palestinian homes, due to a lack of building permits – which the occupation refuses to issue to Palestinians.
According to the International Court of Justice, in July 2024, ‘Israel’s’ continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is illegal under international law. ‘Israel’ has a legal obligation to end its occupation ‘as rapidly as possible’, dismantle it’s settlements and pay reparations to Palestinians. The court ruled that all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are illegal, and ‘Israel’ must evacuate all settlers from the occupied territory.
Featured images via the Canary