Summary

A week of war began with a surprise Israeli-American attack on the leadership of the Iranian regime, followed by bombing sorties against military installations and those of the Revolutionary Guards, missile launch sites, air-defense bases, and facilities connected to Iran’s nuclear production. More than 1,600 Iranian civilians were killed, including 194 children.

Israel, in response, sustained a missile attack that has turned into a troubling but ongoing trickle, which so far has claimed the lives of 10 people, injured hundreds, and caused damage to hundreds of buildings across the country. A pre-emptive strike against Hezbollah facilities and launch sites in Lebanon was met with a significant barrage of missiles and drones toward northern Israel. Some of the launches were coordinated between Iran and its Shiite allies in Lebanon. The IDF took control of areas in southern Lebanon and faced return fire that wounded soldiers.

It was a week of a largely paralyzed economy, with schoolchildren confined to their homes. As noted, in the occupied territories the “routine” continues.

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Sunday

Settlers once again set up the outpost in Fasayil opposite Abd’s home. They remained there throughout the week with a herd of cows grazing around his house. Activists from “Looking the Occupation in the Eye” maintained a protective presence there, as they also did during the week in Khirbet a-Tawil on the outskirts of Aqraba.

East of Duma: settlers attacked Palestinians and protective-presence activists from the organization Torat Tzedek who accompany local residents. The settlers were armed with clubs, pepper spray, and firearms.

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Monday

Two Palestinian brothers aged 48 and 52, were shot dead by a reserve soldier in the village of Qaryut, south of Nablus. The incident began when a bulldozer driven by a settler entered an olive grove belonging to villagers, apparently in order to pave a road. Residents arrived to drive him away. A military source said the Palestinians threw stones at the bulldozer and the confrontation escalated. Footage published on Instagram shows people wearing IDF uniforms confronting the residents and firing their weapons. Palestinian reports say additional people were wounded and several residents’ vehicles were set on fire.

The day was filled with incidents:

• In al-Shakra, south of Nablus, settlers attacked residents for the second consecutive day.

• In al-Mughayyir, east of Ramallah, settlers blocked the only entrance to the town and attacked a shepherd. A military force that arrived fired tear gas toward the village.

• In Kafr Malik, east of Ramallah, settlers attacked shepherds and tried to steal sheep grazing near the village.

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Tuesday – Purim

According to Palestinian reports, the gates to villages in the occupied territories were closed.

Settlers in costume and armed with IDF weapons raided the Palestinian village of Tiran in the southern Hebron Hills and attacked children and teenagers.

Following the killing of two Palestinians on Monday in Qaryut, reporter Roi Sharon on Kan-11 reported that it had been decided that the Military Police would investigate the regional-defense soldier who shot them. Twenty-four hours passed and the suspect had still not been interrogated  because the Military Police refused to detain him. His weapon was confiscated.

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Thursday

The Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court canceled the house arrest imposed by police on Itamar Greenberg, who had demonstrated against the war in Habima Square. The judge sharply criticized the officers who forced him to undergo a strip search:

“In my view this is very serious. The fact that a person holds a different and even unusual opinion does not grant those in authority permission to act contrary to the law.”

Families from the Kaabneh tribe who had found refuge east of Duma abandoned their homes. Their expulsion began a week ago when settlers cut the electricity to the area where 11 families were living. Later, settlers broke in, beat residents, and stole security cameras. At that stage the women and children were evacuated. On Tuesday the army intervened and declared the entire area a closed military zone, expelling human-rights activists who had been protecting the community. According to reports, a security vehicle arrived a few hours later, followed by settlers who demolished a house at the edge of the neighborhood. On Wednesday a military patrol toured the area where settlers were staying. On Thursday the settlers completed the expulsion and destroyed all the homes in the neighborhood. The residents managed to flee just minutes beforehand.

Settlers entered Hawara with herds together with soldiers, who drove away Palestinian shepherds using stun grenades and arrested one of them. In a village across the road, settlers entered with herds, attacked Palestinians with sticks, and tried to expel them. Settlers wearing uniforms arrested two residents.

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Saturday

During the night between Saturday and Sunday, settlers shot three Palestinians to death in the village of Abu Falah north of Ramallah, between the settlements of Kochav HaShahar and Shiloh. According to Palestinian reports, masked settlers carrying clubs raided the village. Residents rushed out to try to drive them away, and then Muhammad Hassan Murra (55), Tair Farouk Hmail (24), and Fara’ Jodat Hmail (57) were shot dead. They were shot in the head. Four other Palestinians were wounded by gunfire.

Also yesterday: Amir Shnaran, 27, was shot dead in the southern Hebron Hills by a settler wearing IDF uniform.

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Documents

Update on the situation in Masafer Yatta these days.

The update was written in Halawa (a village in Masafer Yatta) by Assi Shoham following conversations with residents.

1. Water – Recently settlers closed the only pipeline that brings water to the area and later cut it. Settlers damage water tanks and pour out water from tanks located in the fields. Because of the winter rains some water remains in cisterns, but it will not last long.

2. Daily harassment – Settlers with flocks of sheep and camels enter the villages every day. They violently harass Palestinians, enter their homes, eat and drink from the food intended for the Palestinians’ sheep, and impose an atmosphere of terror. Appeals to the police and army do not help, and those ultimately arrested are the Palestinians.

3. Freedom of movement – Recently additional gates have been installed that are closed and prevent vehicle movement (at the entrance to Tuwani and at the entrance to Umm al-Khair). Settlers, sometimes with the army’s assistance, prevent the free movement of Palestinians and activists through blockades, chases, and the designation of firing zones.

4. Planned pogroms – From time to time (at least once a week, each time in a different place) many settlers arrive by vehicle to one of the villages and carry out severe violence. They kill and steal sheep, wound people, burn and destroy property, and do whatever they wish.

5. Grazing – A sweeping (not entirely official) ban on grazing outside the villages. Palestinians who nevertheless go out to graze their flocks are exposed to the risk of violence, theft of livestock, and arrests.

6. Arbitrary arrests – Palestinians are arbitrarily arrested every day. Incidents of settler violence often end with the victim being arrested. Police and army operate according to the settlers’ instructions and automatically believe them, even when clear videos show the opposite. In almost all cases the Palestinians are released after a few hours to two days, after being beaten, humiliated, and sometimes paying ransom for their release. Their release without indictment indicates their lack of guilt and shows that the purpose of the arrests is to instill fear and repression.