Hebron: Israeli colonists on Tuesday assaulted Palestinian shepherds in At-Tawani village in Masafer Yatta, south of the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, according to a local source. Mohammad Rab'i, head of the At-Tawani Village Council, reported that dozens of colonists, under military protection, attempted to assault the villagers, chasing shepherds in the vicinity of the Havat Maon colony before occupation forces stormed the village. No immediate information on casualties was available.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, Masafer Yatta is a collection of almost 19 hamlets that rely heavily on animal husbandry as the main source of livelihood. Situated in Area C of the West Bank, the area is under full Israeli administrative and military control and has been subjected to repeated Israeli violations by colonists and soldiers, targeting livestock, the main source of living for the residents.
The region has been designated as a closed Israeli military zone for training since the 1980s, known as Firing Zone 918. Violations against the area include the demolition of animal barns, homes, and residential structures. The issuance of construction permits by Israel to local Palestinians in the area is non-existent, exacerbating the challenges faced by the residents.
Colonists' violence against Palestinians and their property is routine in the West Bank and is rarely prosecuted by Israeli authorities. Such violence includes property and mosque arsons, stone-throwing, uprooting of crops and olive trees, and attacks on vulnerable homes. Approximately 1 million Israeli colonists are living in colonies in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in violation of international law.
