JERUSALEM — A violent incident occurred on Friday in the southern Israeli-occupied West Bank when over a dozen Israeli settlers assaulted a Palestinian village, as captured by security cameras. The videos acquired and the testimonies of Palestinian witnesses seem to challenge the narrative given by Israeli authorities, who arrested more than 20 Palestinians following the attack.
The attack in the village of Jinba comes on the heels of another settler incident in a nearby village earlier this week. During that incident, Hamdan Ballal, a Palestinian who co-directed the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land,” was injured and detained by Israeli soldiers for nearly 20 hours.
The videos capture a seldom-seen perspective of the frequent settler assaults Palestinians claim to endure in the West Bank. They argue that radical Jewish settlers often face little to no consequences, while Palestinians are regularly detained by Israeli forces.
Footage obtained depicts the assault on the Al-Amur family’s home. The video shows settlers arriving swiftly in several vehicles and approaching the village. The sounds of Palestinian women screaming can be heard as at least 15 masked individuals, some armed with sticks and one with an assault rifle, approach. One settler can be seen throwing rocks and threatening the family.
Oula Awad, the matriarch of the Al-Amur family, recounted how her family was targeted while engaged in daily activities. Awad described how she was warned by a settler to stay back or face violent consequences. Her family became embroiled in the chaos that ensued, with settlers attacking her son and husband.
Security footage shows Awad and her daughter attempting to alert others for help. As the settlers move in, scenes of physical assault are recorded, with settlers attacking Awad’s son, Qusai. Other family members including Awad’s younger son and husband, Aziz, faced assaults during the ordeal.
After the attack, five Palestinians were hospitalized. Aziz suffered severe injuries, requiring surgery, while others like Ahmad required intensive care. Additional villagers like Maher Mohammed and his son also sustained injuries requiring medical attention.
Nidal Younis, head of the Masafer Yatta village council, witnessed the attack and was briefly detained by police. He accused arriving soldiers of obstructing aid to the Palestinians, a claim not addressed by military officials.
In response, Israeli police apprehended 22 Palestinians from the village, accusing them of participating in stone-throwing incidents. The police also claimed that Palestinians had attacked settler shepherds, causing minor injuries. Meanwhile, the military stated a somewhat different version, reporting injuries to an Israeli civilian due to an alleged attack by militants.
Masafer Yatta, designated a live-fire training area by the Israeli military, frequently sees military interventions aimed at relocating residents. While demolitions of homes and property are common, inhabitants largely remain steadfast despite these conditions.
This incident occurs amidst heightened tensions, partly fueled by the ongoing war in Gaza. The situation has resulted in increased violence in the West Bank, with extensive military operations leading to significant casualties and displacement. Both settler and Palestinian violence have seen a notable uptick, contributing further to the unrest.