The recent inauguration of a new settlement outpost in the northern Jordan Valley has sparked outrage and concern among Palestinian communities and human rights organizations. The outpost, located in the Umm al-Jimal area, comes amid a backdrop of escalating violence and displacement of Palestinian Bedouins, as reported by Hassan Malehat, the general supervisor of the Al-Baidar Organization for Defending Bedouin Rights. This organization has documented repeated attacks by Israeli settlers on these communities, leading to significant displacement.
Witnesses have reported alarming incidents in the Sakot area, where settlers allegedly attacked sheep herders and foreign activists, attempting to steal a herd of approximately 200 sheep. Such actions highlight the ongoing tension and conflict in the region, exacerbated by the presence of over 720,000 settlers in various outposts across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
The situation has deteriorated further since the right-wing government of Benjamin Netanyahu took power in December 2022, with a marked increase in settlement activities. The government's controversial plans, including a secret strategy to annex the West Bank, have raised international concern and condemnation. Since the outbreak of the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, Israeli military operations and settler violence have intensified, resulting in significant casualties, including 622 deaths and around 5,400 injuries among Palestinians, according to official reports.
