Violent confrontations between settlers and Palestinians in hills near Hebron

One day after a group of Israeli settler youth were filmed attacking a Palestinian village in Masafer Yatta, southern Judea, Palestinians reported another incident involving dozens of settlers dressed in “military clothes.”

According to Palestinian reports, the attacks were carried out by settlers wearing military uniforms. However, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that its troops were operating in the village at the time and stated that it is investigating allegations of beatings, property damage, and the theft of several sheep from local residents.

Masafer Yatta Council head, Nidal Younis, said attacks by settlers on the disputed village have increased since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre. 

"Tonight the settlers arrived at Khirbet Janba in military clothes, rioted and destroyed everything,” Younis told Ynet on Saturday evening. “There is unprecedented damage here.” 

Khirbet Janba resident Sufyan Rabe said, “Yesterday morning [Friday], settlers attacked the residents as well. We had five injured, and 22 local residents were arrested.” 

He added, "Last night, about 25 vans came in and attacked us in military uniform, but we know they were settlers. They destroyed everything in an unprecedented way, solar panels, refrigerators, food, windows, walls, contents of houses, everything was destroyed, it was brutal.” 

Osama Mahaimra, a social activist from Masafer Yatta, said the police and military have not been helpful and that they mostly side with the settlers. 

“The police always stand by the settlers,” Mahaimra said. “Anyone who has been attacked by the police is the assailant. The settlers get support and protection – and we're nothing.” 

The attacks on Friday were allegedly initiated by a confrontation between Jewish and Palestinian shepherds in the hills near Susiya, south of Hebron. 

While initial reports in Hebrew media suggested that a Jewish settler had been attacked by Palestinians, video footage shared by Palestinians appears to show the same settler earlier that morning approaching a Palestinian shepherd and his flock while riding an all-terrain vehicle.

In apparent retaliation, a number of Palestinians attacked the shepherd with sticks and threw stones later in the morning. Afterward, a group of settlers went down to Khirbet Janba and began to confront a group of Palestinians, with rock throwing and beatings between the two groups. In that confrontation, a settler and four Palestinians were injured. 

A large contingent of police officers and IDF soldiers arrived at the scene to break up the fighting, arresting 22 suspects. Palestinians complained that most of those arrested were Palestinians, despite the fact that settlers were the ones who came into their village to start the confrontation. 

Four Palestinians were wounded in the attack, with two requiring hospitalization. Among the injured were a father and his young son, both of whom sustained head injuries.

The incidents were the latest in a series of confrontations in Masafer Yatta, the setting of the Oscar-nominated film “No Other Land.” 

An earlier incident took place last week when Hamdan Ballal, one of the directors of the film, was arrested after allegedly being attacked. As with the current events, the two sides offered conflicting accounts of what triggered the confrontation.

While Masafer Yatta is a disputed region, with Palestinians and the IDF disagreeing over the rightful ownership of the land, there have been multiple incidents in which settler youth have been documented provoking the Palestinians into retaliation, and then claiming to be the victims. 

One local settler known for instigating clashes between Jewish settlers and Palestinian residents is Shem Tov Lusky. In videos posted to social media, he openly boasts about being a racist and is seen insulting and cursing local Palestinians in broken English.

Over the past few years, he has been recorded multiple times, even by Israeli activists, attempting to drive Palestinian shepherds out of the area. He is frequently accompanied by groups of youth wearing hats and masks to conceal their identities.