Israeli activists stand as last defense for Palestinians amid settler attacks

Israeli activists working against zionist settlers attacking the native Palestinian population have reported that the aggression has increased since October 7.

Activist Eyal Shani, equipped with a discreet camera affixed to his T-shirt, has been documenting instances of settler violence against Palestinian sheep farmers in the desert region of the occupied West Bank.

Alongside fellow campaigners, Shani endeavors to shield Palestinians from zionist settlers in the Masafer Yatta area south of Hebron. However, they lament the escalating challenges they face. "If we're not here the settlers take all the power into their hands, they don't see the Palestinians as humans," expressed the 56-year-old activist. "We are the last shield."

The West Bank, housing three million Palestinians, has been under Israeli occupation since 1967, with nearly 490,000 Israeli settlers residing in communities deemed illegal under international law. The mounting incidents of settler violence following the Gaza war have elicited widespread concern and condemnation, including from the UN.

Regularly, Shani visits Masafer Yatta, attending to Palestinian shepherds like Shihada Salameh Makhamreh, 60, who resides with his family in a rock-hewn village. Despite the refuge of their cave dwelling, the family remains vulnerable to nearby Israeli settlers who have encroached upon their territory.

In a harrowing incident in mid-January, a group of young settlers assaulted Makhamreh's home in the dead of night, brutally beating his 75-year-old mother. Since then, the family has lived in constant fear, grappling with the inexplicable targeting in such a remote locale.

"We are peaceful people," asserted Makhamreh. "We don't play politics."

Settler attacks in the West Bank have been on an upward trajectory for some time, with a sharp escalation observed post the October 7 Hamas attack that accelerated Israel's offensive in Gaza.

According to the UN's humanitarian office OCHA, between October 7 and March 31, there were 1,096 recorded settler attacks, averaging six per day—a stark rise from pre-October 7 figures.

Israeli activists, like Ehud Krinis, 57, decried the emboldened settlers, attributing their audacity to the support of the most right-wing government in Israel's history. Krinis highlights the pervasive sense of isolation felt by activists in the wake of recent events.

In Masafer Yatta, longstanding issues persist, compounded by a recent Israeli Supreme Court ruling favoring the military and paving the way for the eviction of native Palestinian residents. Krinis alleges that the army facilitates settler incursions to coerce Palestinian displacement indirectly.

The repercussions of settler violence are devastating. Zakaria al-Adra, a victim of a settler attack in Al-Tuwani, narrates his ordeal, having been shot at point-blank range. Despite enduring numerous medical procedures, he struggles to support his family, left incapacitated by the assault.

Israeli activists, cognizant of the perilous environment, extend aid to affected families, providing essential supplies and support. Yet, amid escalating tensions, the specter of danger looms large, underscoring the urgent need for intervention and advocacy.