Ever since settlers from the Mitzpe Yair outpost first descended on the village of Tabaqat al-Jundi in Masafer Yatta in November 2021, Jamil Al-Amour’s family has endured relentless harassment and violent attacks.
That month, they shot and wounded Al-Amour’s son and another relative, and set fire to the family’s agricultural shed. They have returned repeatedly since then, often accompanied by Israeli soldiers, to demolish the rebuilt structure, uproot olive saplings, and graze their livestock on the family’s land. During this time, they also expanded the outpost they’ve been building on the village’s property; by 2024, it included a sheep pen, tents, solar panels, and several caravans.
Officially, the settlers are not permitted to be in this area. Tabaqat al-Jundi is one of 12 Palestinian communities located within what the Israeli army designates as “Firing Zone 918,” a military training zone officially closed to both Palestinians and Israelis. Yet while Palestinians are routinely barred from building or even entering the area, settlers continue to establish and expand outposts there with complete impunity. …..more