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Thirty Palestinian families were forced to abandon their homes in a remote part of the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Friday, citing years of growing intimidation and assaults by Israeli settlers.
The displaced families, all members of the Bedouin Mleihat tribe, come from a shepherding community in the Jordan Valley. Overwhelmed by constant fear and threats, they began dismantling their homes—makeshift shelters made of wooden panels and metal sheets—fearing the violence would only escalate.
Mahmoud Mleihat, a 50-year-old father of seven, described the settlers as armed aggressors who act freely under the protection of the Israeli military. “They attack us, and the army shields them. We’re powerless to resist, so we’ve chosen to leave,” he told reporters.
As the families took apart their dwellings, an armed Israeli settler stood nearby, flanked by Israeli soldiers.
I. Escalating Threats in the Jordan Valley
1. Persistent Harassment by Settlers
Palestinian communities in the sparsely populated Jordan Valley, near the Jordan River, have increasingly come under threat from settler groups. These incidents include violent assaults and disruptions to daily life.
2. Documented Incidents of Violence
B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights organization, has recorded several incidents of violence targeting the Mleihat tribe in Mu’arrajat, near Jericho. In 2024, settlers reportedly stormed a Palestinian school carrying clubs. A year earlier, settlers armed with rifles blocked Palestinian vehicles, fired into the air, and pelted the cars with stones.
II. A Decision Made Out of Fear
1. Longstanding Roots, Forced Uprooting
“I’ve lived here since I was ten,” said Mahmoud Mleihat, calling the community’s displacement a deep injustice. The decision to leave, he added, was made to protect their children from harm.
2. Military and Government Response
Israel’s military did not respond to inquiries regarding the harassment reported by the Bedouin families. When asked about settler violence, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated that violent actions by civilians are unacceptable and that no one should act above the law.
III. Settlement Expansion and Impunity
1. Settlements Driving Palestinians from Their Land
Human rights activists say the expansion of Israeli settlements in recent years has worsened conditions for Palestinians in the West Bank, which has remained under Israeli military control since the 1967 war.
2. No Protection for Palestinians
Sarit Michaeli from B’Tselem stated that the Mleihat tribe endured “extreme levels of settler violence,” including property destruction, theft, and physical attacks. She also reported that settlers had recently built an informal outpost near the Bedouin encampment, heightening the threat level.
3. Settler Actions Without Consequences
According to Michaeli, the Israeli military has failed to shield Palestinians from these attacks, allowing settlers to act with apparent immunity from legal repercussions.
IV. Loss of Home and Identity
1. Scattered Families, Broken Dreams
Aaliyah Mleihat, 28, shared that the community had lived on that land for four decades. Now, displaced families would be spread across the Jordan Valley, including areas around Jericho. “They are tearing down their own homes, leaving behind the place where generations dreamed and lived,” she said.
2. A Modern-Day Nakba
She described the event as a “new Nakba,” referring to the 1948 displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians during the formation of the state of Israel—a period Palestinians remember as the “catastrophe.”
V. Legal and International Perspectives
1. Settlements and International Law
Most international legal bodies view Israeli settlements in occupied territory as violations of the Geneva Conventions, which forbid the transfer of an occupying power’s civilian population into occupied areas.
2. Israel’s Justification
Israel rejects these claims, asserting that the settlements are legitimate and based on historical and religious connections to the land.
Conclusion
The departure of the Mleihat tribe from their West Bank village marks yet another chapter in the long history of forced displacement experienced by Palestinian communities. Facing unchecked settler violence and without protection from the authorities, families chose safety over heritage. As homes are dismantled and memories left behind, the community’s fate underscores the enduring volatility of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict—one marked by contested narratives, historical grievances, and continuing humanitarian concerns.
