Illegal Israeli settlers ordered Al-Maharik to leave area, seized his livestock, causing him heavy losses, affecting his only source of income, as incident highlights rising attacks and forced displacement across the occupied West Bank.
A Palestinian man has said he was forced to dismantle his home and leave his land due to escalating attacks by illegal Israeli settlers, the theft of part of his livestock and pressure from the Israeli army to vacate the area.
Mohammad Mahmoud Al-Maharik, from the Khillet Al-Mafateeh area in Masafer Yatta, said he had lived there for 25 to 30 years with his family, raising sheep, before settlers' attacks intensified in recent months.He said illegal Israeli settlers attacked him while he was grazing his livestock in a nearby area, chased him and later brought another group who claimed ownership of the herd.The attackers seized around 20 sheep and goats, along with dozens of lambs, causing heavy losses and affecting his only source of income, he added.Israeli army forces later arrived at the site, ordered him to leave the area and prevented him from remaining in his home despite his long-term presence there, Al-Maharik said.He said he eventually dismantled his 250 square metre home, along with livestock shelters and facilities, to prevent illegal settlers from seizing the property.'I never imagined I would be forced to demolish my own home, but the pressure and attacks left me no choice,' he said.Escalation of illegal AttacksThe incident comes amid escalating attacks by illegal Israeli settlers across the occupied West Bank, targeting Palestinians and their property and forcing many families into displacement.According to the Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, illegal Israeli settlers' attacks displaced 13 Bedouin communities in 2025, comprising 197 families and 1,090 individuals.During February, Israeli settlers carried out 511 attacks in the occupied West Bank, while seven Palestinians were killed between late February and Monday, according to the same data.Since the start of the genocide in Gaza on October 8, 2023, attacks by Israeli forces and illegal settlers in the occupied West Bank have killed 1,133 Palestinians, injured around 11,700 others and led to the arrest of approximately 22,000 people.
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