On Friday, Palestinian media outlet Wafa reported that a group of Israeli settlers armed with weapons entered the Wadi al‑Shennar region, situated east of the town of Halhul and north of Hebron in the occupied West Bank. The settlers confronted a number of Palestinian laborers who were travelling to their agricultural plots, resulting in a physical assault.
According to the agency, Israeli security forces were present in the vicinity and provided protection to the settlers during the confrontation. Several of the Palestinian farmers were taken into custody as they attempted to reach their cultivated land, with the soldiers reportedly preventing them from proceeding.
Wafa highlighted that the incident is part of a broader pattern of violence in the area, which has been subjected to frequent incursions by settlers amid ongoing plans for further settlement expansion. Local residents have expressed concern that the growing presence of settlements is increasingly restricting their access to traditional farming zones.
The report also referenced a series of prior attacks in the same locality, including the theft and destruction of harvested crops, the uprooting and breaking of fruit trees, as well as the demolition of structures and the leveling of land owned by Palestinians. These actions have been documented in recent months and are said to contribute to a deteriorating security situation for the farming community.
The latest episode adds to the mounting tension between Israeli settlers and Palestinian residents in the Hebron district, a region already marked by frequent clashes over land use and security. International observers have repeatedly called for restraint and the protection of civilian agricultural activities, but the cycle of confrontations continues to affect the livelihoods of those dependent on the land.
Reporting attribution: based on reporting by Middle East Eye — original source: https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/armed-israeli-settlers-attack-palestinian-farmers-near-hebron.