Entire Bedouin community flees West Bank hamlet after enduring repeated settler attacks

An entire Bedouin community fled their village north of Jericho on Thursday night, succumbing to repeated attacks by Israeli settlers from surrounding illegal outposts, Peace Now reports.

Hundreds of Mu’arjat residents are now looking for a home elsewhere, the settlement watchdog says.

In recent months, settlers from nearby outposts routinely harassed Mu’arjat residents, blocking grazing, issuing threats, attacking people and stealing livestock, according to Peace Now.

“In recent weeks, harassment intensified, with settlers walking between homes, threatening residents and demanding that they leave,” Peace Now says.

On Wednesday, settlers established a new outpost several feet outside the community school. The family living nearby was forced to flee, and their property was looted, according to the watchdog.

“Israeli security forces ignored repeated calls from residents to remove the invading settlers. Soldiers and Border Police officers were even documented sitting with them in the new outpost adjacent to the community,” Peace Now says.

On Thursday night, dozens of settlers again entered the village, in what was the final blow, leading the entire community to flee.