Jewish Youths' Encampment in Arab Village Area Dismantled Amid Protest

Hundreds of residents from the Arab village of Majd al-Krum, near Karmiel, protested Tuesday evening against a tent encampment established within its jurisdiction, on land belonging to the Jewish National Fund (JNF). The encampment, located in a JNF forest, was leased for sheep grazing intended to prevent summer fires but was occupied by youths from Judea and Samaria without livestock and contrary to the agreement with the farmer who leased the land. Local Arab villagers accused the Jewish youths of attempting to establish an illegal outpost and encroaching on adjacent private lands. During the protest, demonstrators clashed with police, resulting in several arrests. All tents and structures were subsequently dismantled and moved to the agreed-upon grazing area.

Sources indicate the grazing permit was issued in January to clear vegetation and prevent fires. However, no sheep were brought to the site, citing foot-and-mouth disease concerns and bureaucratic delays. Despite the absence of livestock, tents were erected for permanent residency, some on land not belonging to the JNF and near Majd al-Krum's border, which JNF officials described as a "deliberate attempt to create provocation." The farmer who leased the land was reportedly on vacation abroad.

Tensions escalated during Rosh Hashanah when the encampment's occupants invited approximately 15 yeshiva students, leading to immediate friction and police intervention. Nationalist videos posted online by residents expressed anger against the "occupation" and vowed to defend their people. MK Dr. Yousef Jabareen accused the incident of being part of a plan to "Judaize the Negev and the Galilee," mirroring actions in the West Bank.

Despite the dismantling, the JNF maintains the professional need for grazing to reduce fire risks and will not back down due to pressure. An official stated the grazing permit was legal but poorly implemented, ignoring local sensitivities. The JNF will proceed with grazing under strict rules: an organized, vaccinated flock must be present by Wednesday, or the permit will be canceled until March 2027. The temporary shelter will be limited to three people, without permanent infrastructure, to prevent any semblance of an outpost. The JNF acknowledges questionable circumstances surrounding the permit and will investigate internal professional conduct.

Earlier, 260 Jewish and Arab leaders and activists sent an urgent letter to JNF Chairman Eyal Ostrovsky, demanding intervention to prevent JNF lands from being used to establish facts on the ground and create friction. They warned that unchecked actions could lead to permanent presence and dangerous precedents. The signatories called for public clarification from the JNF that such actions will not be permitted, emphasizing the incident as a test of the rule of law, equal enforcement, and the responsibility of public institutions to prevent escalation and preserve shared life in the Galilee.