‍Summary

The method works as follows: a herd is brought into the yard of Palestinian residents, a false claim is made that the herd was “stolen,” and uniformed forces—happy to do the job—are called in. This began in Ras Ein al-Auja on Tuesday (30.12.25), when dozens of settlers accompanied by Border Police and army forces raided the community, entered sheepfolds, all on the basis of a baseless claim that “dozens of Arab rioters attacked shepherds from a farm near the settlement of Yitav a short while ago with clubs and stones. One shepherd was injured in the face.”

On Wednesday morning, settlers arrived at the village with two tractors, accompanied by the army and the regional council’s land inspector. Upon arrival, the tractors began plowing land in the heart of the village, trespassing into private courtyards, tearing up the access road used by residents, and severing the electricity supply cables to their homes. After the plowing, under the guidance of leaders of the illegal outposts in the area, outpost youths positioned themselves near residential structures in the village and laid out mattresses. This marked the beginning of a new mini-outpost. In many cases over the past two years, at this stage of the settler campaign residents gathered their herds and belongings and abandoned the community, even when human-rights activists were present.

The residents of Ras Ein al-Auja chose to remain in their village, and then another stage of the cleansing plan began: a violent wave of settler incursions into the village. Some arrived riding ATVs and horses; others brought herds on a scale not seen before. Since Wednesday, the village has been attacked from all sides: from Zohar Sabach’s outpost to the southeast; from Micha Sodai’s outpost to the northwest; from the “Burned Houses” outpost on the village’s outskirts; and also from the freshly established mini-outpost located just meters from the homes of the Salameh family.

Another step taken by settlers was blocking the water channel in order to prevent water supply from the Auja stream to the residents of Ras Ein al-Auja and to the neighboring town of Auja.

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Monday – A settler from the Sodai outpost near Ras Ein al-Auja invaded the village with a flock and led the goats into the sheepfold of a Palestinian family. From the afternoon onward, vehicles carrying construction materials traveled to the “Burned Houses” mini-outpost. Settlers there broke into an abandoned Palestinian home. They retreated after activists arrived.

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Tuesday – A settler from the neighboring outpost crossed the village with a herd, wandered among the homes, stopped and brought the goats into a resident’s sheepfold, then sat in a field and lit a fire. Activists called the police; when officers arrived, they chose to detain an activist based on a false statement by the settler. In the afternoon, dozens of settlers accompanied by Border Police and army forces raided the community and entered sheepfolds, all on the basis of a baseless claim.

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Wednesday – In the early morning hours, two tractors with plows invaded the soccer field. They were driven by Avishai Horowitz from the Sodai outpost and by minors. They were accompanied by Nir Meir, the regional council’s land inspector, as well as an officer and soldiers. The intruders quickly plowed the field while trespassing into home courtyards, tearing up a road and cutting electricity supply cables. Appeals to the officer, including regarding the nature of land ownership, were ineffective. Only around noon did an instruction arrive from the DCO to stop the plowing. By then the field had been entirely plowed. Minors from the outpost brought mattresses and stayed overnight.

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Thursday – In the morning, settlers set up a makeshift encampment near the Salameh family home in order to sleep there. Herds entered and exited the village.

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Friday – Throughout the day, settlers from the neighboring outposts of Sodai and Zohar Sabach led herds onto the Salameh family’s land. For the night they moved them into caves on the hill overlooking the house. A flock also remained at the newly established mini-outpost.

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Saturday – The water channel from the Auja stream was blocked with stones near the Sodai outpost, preventing water from flowing to the village’s residents. Activists removed the blocks that were obstructing the water flow. The settlers’ encampment established near the soccer field received visits from many settlers, including Avishai Horowitz and Yehuda Friedman. During the day, settlers with flocks invaded from the Sodai outpost, from the Zohar Sabach outpost, and from the mountain ridge via the “Burned Houses” mini-outpost. Police officer Gideon arrived once after being notified of an assault by a settler; his response was, “Go to the station and file a complaint.”