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Israeli settlers, soldiers reportedly assault Palestinian shepherds in Jordan Valley

February 12, 2017 at 12:23 pm

A Palestinian shepherd in the West Bank [Mamoun Wazwaz/ApaImages]

Three Israeli settlers and two Israeli soldiers reportedly attacked three Palestinian shepherds who were grazing their herds Friday morning, near an illegal Israeli settler outpost in the northern Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank, Israeli media reported on Saturday.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz said that the Palestinian shepherds were attacked near a newly created illegal settler outpost near the border of the Umm Zuka Nature Reserve, and also within eyesight of the Israeli military’s Netzah Yehuda base, where a special ultra-Orthodox Jewish unit is stationed.

Haaretz quoted the shepherds as saying that two Israeli settlers approached them and asked them to leave the area before a third settler came out of the illegal outpost who was escorted by two Israeli soldiers. According to the shepherds, the soldiers and settlers cuffed them, and proceeded to inspect their bags and seize their mobile phone. They were also beaten by the Israelis, the shepherds added.

An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an they were not familiar with the incident.

The women-led Israeli rights group Machsom watch released a report earlier this month detailing a new settler outpost near the reserve, at least 40 dunams (10 acres) of which they said has been built on privately-owned Palestinian land.

Haaretz said Saturday’s incident came just after the Palestinian shepherds alerted locals that “Israelis were approaching them in an intimidating manner,” and were joined by other shepherds over the course of the day to ensure they weren’t attacked again.

According to the report, on January 4, a large number of Israelis began erecting farming structures at the outpost, after multiple attempts were made by Israelis over the course of 2016 to seize lands in the area and acquire building permits.