Settler Farms in West Bank Displace Palestinians, Rights Group Claims
Translated & summarized from Zman Yisrael by baba
An Israeli watchdog group, Peace Now, reports that new settler farms in the West Bank are displacing Palestinian communities and expanding Israeli control. The article details alleged expulsions of Palestinian shepherds and Bedouin tribes, starting in October 2023, with settlers using violence and intimidation. Proponents, including the Religious Zionism party, market these farms as a security measure, but critics say they cost billions and involve ongoing violence against Palestinians.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- New settler farms in the West Bank are displacing Palestinian communities, according to Israeli watchdog Peace Now.
- Palestinian shepherds and Bedouin tribes have allegedly been expelled from their lands since October 2023.
- Settlers reportedly use violence, intimidation, and blocked access to expel Palestinians from their lands.
- Proponents, including the Religious Zionism party, market the farms as a security measure.
- Critics claim the settlement expansion costs billions and involves ongoing violence against Palestinians.
A report by the Israeli anti-settlement watchdog Peace Now details the establishment of new settler farms, referred to as "outposts" or "farms," in the West Bank, arguing they are part of a strategy to displace Palestinian communities and expand Israeli control. The article describes visits to several such locations, including Nahura Farm in the eastern Judean Desert, which is situated near Palestinian Bedouin communities and has replaced remnants of their presence. These farms, often established on land previously inhabited by Palestinian shepherds and Bedouin tribes, are presented by proponents, like those from the Religious Zionism party, as a "defense belt" to protect Israeli settlements and cities.
The report highlights that the establishment of these farms, numbering around 160 according to the Religious Zionism party, is often accompanied by violence and intimidation against the local Palestinian population. It cites specific instances where Palestinian communities, such as Brait Tuku'a, Khalt al-Hamra, Wadi Abiyat, and Al-Maniyah East, were allegedly expelled from their lands starting in October 2023. These expulsions are reportedly carried out by settlers who engage in stone-throwing, attempted ramming with vehicles, and blocking access to grazing lands and agricultural areas.
Peace Now claims that this "settlement revolution," promoted by figures like Bezalel Smotrich, costs billions of shekels and involves the ongoing "terrorism" against Palestinians. The farms are described as tools for expelling communities and bases for attacks on Palestinian villages and towns in Areas A and B. The report also notes that these developments occur on land that was previously accessible to Palestinian residents for farming and accessing natural springs, which are now often blocked or controlled by settlers.
The article contrasts the pastoral descriptions of some farms, like Nathan Hai's Nahura Farm, with the underlying reality of displacement and conflict. It mentions the presence of Israeli flags and political campaign signs from the Religious Zionism party at these locations, linking the settlement expansion to electoral efforts. The report concludes that Smotrich's "settlement revolution" is essentially an election campaign celebrating ethnic cleansing in the West Bank.
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