From the Liveblog of
Monday, September 16, 2024
After clash between settlers and Palestinians, only latter group sees arrests
Jeremy Sharon is The Times of Israel’s legal affairs and settlements reporter
Violence breaks out in the southern Jordan Valley area of the West Bank between local Palestinians and Israeli settlers from the region, with one settler and several Palestinians injured.
An Israeli herder from the illegal farming outpost of Zohar’s Farm who was grazing his sheep close to the settlement of Mevo’ot Yeriho reported early in the morning that he was attacked and beaten with clubs by Palestinians from the hamlet of Mu’arrajat East, leaving him with a head injury.
Footage provided by settler activists show the herder with blood running down his hair and face.
According to the IDF, the assailants fled but were pursued by other settlers, who had been alerted to the incident, into Mu’arrajat.
Video footage from the organization Looking the Occupation in the Eyes shows settler activists armed with clubs beating Palestinians inside a school in the village, apparently while looking for the perpetrator of the attack on the Israeli herder.
טרור יהודי במערג׳את, דרום בקעת הירדן. הבוקר שוב חדר עדר מתנחלים לשטח הקהילה. פעילים שהיו במקום חצצו בין בתי הקהילה לבינו. לאחר שעזבו את המקום, חזר המתנחל והתיישב עם העדר ליד בית הספר המקומי. כעשרה מתנחלים נוספים הגיעו לבית הספר במערג׳את, תקפו תלמידים ואת מנהלת בית הספר. המורים… pic.twitter.com/1DSpJK5MUz
— מסתכלים לכיבוש בעיניים (@Mistaclim) September 16, 2024
Looking the Occupation in the Eyes says that pupils, the school principal, and pro-Palestinian Israeli activists were assaulted during the incident by the settlers.
“Upon reports [of the incident], IDF and police forces went to the spot, dealt with the clash, and arrested several suspects at the site,” the IDF says in a statement responding to the incident.
Two Palestinians were arrested in the incident, the IDF says. The police say no Israelis have been arrested yet, but added that an investigation is underway.
Mu’arrajat East is an unauthorized hamlet north of Jericho. Residents have reported a series of violent attacks and harassment by local settlers in recent months.
