Seven Palestinian families dismantle homes, flee Jordan Valley amid settler attacks

Seven Palestinian families dismantled their tin and tent shelters Friday in the Al-Maita area of the northern Jordan Valley and departed, following relentless attacks by illegal settlers and Israeli forces, according to local official Moataz Bisharat. The area will now be completely devoid of Palestinian residents.

Systematic Violence and Intimidation

Bisharat, who monitors settlement activity in Tubas, reported that settlers set fire to uninhabited tents overnight and conducted repeated assaults including beatings, livestock theft, crop destruction, and grazing restrictions. The campaign of intimidation has accelerated displacement across the Jordan Valley, where Palestinians face mounting pressure from both armed settlers and military operations.

Wider West Bank Crackdown

The displacement coincided with broader violence Friday across the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Red Crescent confirmed Israeli forces shot a young man in the thigh in Al-Ram, north of Jerusalem. In Nablus, three Palestinians were injured during a settler attack on Talfit village—one by gunfire and two by beatings. Israeli military raids across the territory detained 24 additional Palestinians.

Deepening Occupation

Official Palestinian data indicates over 9,300 Palestinians currently held in Israeli prisons, including 66 women and 350 children. Since October 2023, intensified Israeli operations in the West Bank—alongside the Gaza war—have killed at least 1,112 Palestinians, injured approximately 11,500, and led to more than 21,000 arrests. Palestinians view this escalation as systematic preparation for formal annexation. The International Court of Justice declared Israel's occupation illegal in July 2024, calling for evacuation of all West Bank and East Jerusalem settlements.