Violation: Settler attack on a farmer.

Date of Violation: 07/12/2024.

Location: Al-Lawza – Bani Na'im / Hebron Governorate.

Perpetrator: Settlers.

Victim: Citizen Thiyab Mohammadin.

Details:

A group of settlers attacked the home of citizen Thiyab Salim Eid Mohammadin in the Al-Lawza area, southeast of Bani Na'im, south of Hebron, in the early hours of Saturday, December 7, 2024. They assaulted his home and attempted to steal his livestock.

Mohammadin resides permanently on a piece of land he owns in the area, measuring four dunams. He works as a farmer and raises livestock. He lives in a shelter made of tents and a canopy, relying on solar energy for electricity and lighting, and transports water from wells to store it in plastic tanks and barrels for watering the sheep and meeting household needs.

Citizen Mohammadin (50 years old) reported to the LRC researcher the following:

"At around 12:00 AM on Saturday, a group of settlers, consisting of eight individuals, attacked us. They started shouting at us and causing panic within my family. They spread around my house, with some entering the shelters. One of them cut the gas hose connected to the cylinder and set the gas on fire, attempting to burn my wife and my seven children who were inside the shelter. It seems to me that they were planning to distract us and terrorize us with the fire. Meanwhile, another group was opening the barn and attempting to steal my herd of 50 sheep. Another group was smashing the solar panels and tearing up the tents where we live. They also damaged all our belongings, making them unusable."

After the settlers carried out their attack, they fled together with the livestock. The affected citizen explained that he contacted his relatives, who live about 500 meters from his home. They arrived to assist him and chased the settlers, pursuing them for about 2 kilometers until they found the livestock at dawn, after the settlers had abandoned it and fled the area.

Citizen Mohammadin pointed out that some of the livestock showed signs of exhaustion and fatigue due to being beaten and dragged by the settlers. Additionally, five sheep were found to have miscarried as a result of the attack.

Here is a summary of the effects and damages that occurred to citizen Mohammadin as a result of this attack, which we present in the following table:

The affected citizen pointed out that the settlers returned on Sunday, December 8, 2024, and attempted to reach his home, but the presence of relatives, some friends, and many people in the area prevented them from doing so.

Citizen Mohammadin fears that the settlers may return to attack him, explaining that he moves his wife and children at night to a relative's house in a nearby area with a larger population, while he stays at his home with the livestock, fearing another attack by the settlers.

مشروع: حماية الحقوق البيئية الفلسطينية في مناطق "ج" SPERAC IV - GFFO

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of Land Research Center and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the project donor; the Norwegian Refugee Council.

إخلاء المسؤولية: الآراء ووجهات النظر الواردة في هذا التقرير هي آراء ووجهات نظر مركز أبحاث الأراضي ولا تعكس بالضرورة وجهات نظر أو مواقف الجهة المانحة للمشروع؛ المجلس النرويجي. للاجئين