Israeli settlers establish new ‘outpost’ in the Jordan Valley

Israeli settlers are establishing a new outpost in the northern Jordan Valley on privately owned Palestinian land.

According to the Haaretz report, although Israeli authorities have not authorised its construction, and are aware of its existence, construction is currently continuing unimpeded.

The outpost is close to another unauthorised outpost, Givat Salit, established in 2001.

Israeli occupation authorities claimed that a stop-work order had been issued at the outpost. However, a visit by Haaretz showed that the settlers have continued regardless.

“The area in which construction was being carried out had expanded to an adjacent hilltop”, says Haaretz, “and included the laying of a water pipe and the initial construction of a livestock pen. The hilltop, it should be noted, is considered state-owned and not privately owned Palestinian land.”

The settlers have threatened and targeted Palestinians living in the area, including preventing shepherds from “bringing their flocks to their regular grazing lands on the hilltop.”

In addition, “shortly after the outpost was established”, Israeli forces “demolished a Palestinian family’s entire tent encampment” who “have lived at the site for many years.”

In a further incident, “an Israeli jeep speed into a flock of livestock”, a vehicle “identified as belonging to a resident of Shadmot Mehola, a settlement on the other side of the road in the area. It was built on land owned by Palestinians who have lived abroad since 1967.”