Summary

Throughout the week, settler incursions—by settlers and their herds from the outpost neighboring Ras Ein al-Auja—recurred into the courtyards and homes of village residents. However, on Friday and Saturday afternoon these incidents went beyond the routine. Activists, including volunteers from “Looking at the Occupation in the Eyes,” who attempted to prevent the intruders from entering the residents’ living areas, were assaulted by adult settlers using fists and iron chains, causing them injuries.

The police were called, and their response on Friday to the violence and settler incursions into residents’ homes and courtyards was similar to previous cases: arrival at the scene after more than an hour, followed by issuing a summons for questioning to an activist who had been present. As far as is known, no attacker was summoned for questioning. On Saturday, an unusual action by the army was recorded: soldiers removed the terrorists to the outpost from which they had come and secured the activists for some time to ensure that the offenders did not return.

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Sunday – An archaeological delegation accompanied by a tractor arrived at the hill overlooking the homes of the Salameh family. Lev-Tahor Feirman, one of the settlers from the outpost neighboring Ras Ein al-Auja (the Micha and Avishai outpost), approached the Salameh family’s residential compound with a herd. At the same time, settlers from the newly established outpost, the “Burned Houses” outpost, approached the Naif family’s home compound in the southwest of the village. Meir Nir, an inspector from the Jordan Valley Regional Council, positioned himself with his vehicle near the hospitality tent (the madafeh) and filmed the surroundings.

In the afternoon, a settler wrapped in a prayer shawl (tallit) and tzitzit, accompanied by three minors, arrived in the village, danced, sang, and cursed the activists.

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Monday – A settler approached with goats close to the Abu-Taleb family compound. Suddenly he lunged toward the activists, pressed a phone into the face of a female volunteer, and then returned to his herd.

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Tuesday – One of the settler shepherds who led his herd into the village football field approached the hospitality tent. Avishai Horowitz, one of the founders of the outpost, arrived in his vehicle and after a short time left the area. In the afternoon, the outpost youths were not seen in the areas into which they usually invade with their herds, and the residents of Ras Ein al-Auja dared to take their own herds out of the pens to graze.

When the herds do not invade the village, the settlers’ vehicles do. A familiar vehicle, previously seen at Einot Kedem Farm belonging to Omer Atidiya, drove along the main road. Its driver honked several times and calls of “HAPPY VALENTAINE” were heard from it. The same vehicle was later seen in the “Burned Houses” compound, where youths dismantled a structure that had been abandoned by its residents due to settler terror. After dark, settlers’ vehicles harassed village residents. The police and the army responded to the call and decided to reprimand and warn the activists not to use flashlights that might dazzle the drivers of the invading vehicles.

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Wednesday – The settler Lev-Tahor Feirman, a resident of the outpost adjacent to Ras Ein al-Auja, led a flock of sheep to the Palestinian residents’ fodder piles. He sat on a resident’s tractor and then stepped on the foot of a female activist. A police officer who arrived issued a summons for questioning to one of the activists and then left the scene. Shortly thereafter, two men arrived in a vehicle holding sticks. They cursed and threatened the activists. The vehicle they arrived in had license plates that could not be read because they had been painted black. The security coordinator of Mevo’ot Jericho and police who were present in the village during the incident did nothing to stop the violence.

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Friday – Zohar Sabach, the founder of the outpost adjacent to Marj’aat, wandered in the morning through Ras Ein al-Auja with a masked youth. Later, around noon, a settler from the neighboring outpost (the Micha and Avishai outpost) arrived with his herd at the residential compound of the Salameh family and confronted the activists. He shoved those standing opposite him and punched a female activist in the head. Another activist was also injured by punches aimed at his face and kicks directed at his legs and abdomen. Police who were called did not arrive.

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Saturday – In the afternoon, known settlers from the outpost, including Avishai Horowitz, invaded the village and violently attacked activists with their fists. Soldiers who arrived at the scene in their vehicle observed what was happening, spoke with the settlers, and did nothing. Another military force, which arrived after a repeated call, removed the intruders to their outpost and waited with the activists to ensure that the attackers did not return. The security coordinator of Mevo’ot Jericho was present nearby and did nothing to stop the settlers’ violence.