Israeli settlers are accused of killing 117 sheep belonging to Bedouin families in the West Bank in what local residents describe as a violent attempt to force them from their land.
The incident took place early Friday morning in the village of Arab al-Kaabaneh, located in the Jordan Valley. According to witnesses and Palestinian officials, settlers used knives, sticks, and guns to slaughter the animals. Around 350 additional sheep were reportedly stolen.
Local residents say Israeli soldiers were present during the attack but did not intervene. Instead, they allegedly restrained Bedouins who tried to protect their livestock. “When the residents tried to rescue the sheep, the soldiers attacked the Palestinians instead,” said Mahmoud Kaabneh, a villager. He added that 20 men were arrested and beaten.
Video footage circulating on social media shows sheep carcasses scattered across a hillside. Some of the surviving animals received veterinary treatment for stab wounds and signs of trauma.
Ongoing Pattern of Violence
Palestinian Minister Moayad Shaaban condemned the incident, describing it as part of a wider effort to push Bedouins off their ancestral land.
“They are using these tactics to terrify people into leaving areas where they have lived for decades,” Shaaban told Reuters.
Arab al-Kaabaneh village has faced similar attacks before. Settlers have previously targeted the community by stealing livestock, assaulting residents, and even attacking local schools. Human rights groups report that such actions are part of a long-standing strategy to pressure Palestinian communities into leaving the area.
Common tactics include:
- Burning olive trees
- Vandalizing property and water wells
- Stealing livestock
- Allowing settler-owned animals to graze on Palestinian land
- Setting fires to homes and religious sites
- Physical assaults
A new method called “flag-based settlement” has also emerged. Settlers place Israeli flags near Palestinian homes and use any disturbance as a reason to initiate attacks.
Families Forced to Flee
For some villagers, Friday’s violence was the final straw.
“I am moving now from here. I want to protect my kids and my sheep,” said Tareq Kaabneh, who decided to leave the village after the incident. “Yesterday I was safe, but I don’t know what will happen tomorrow.”
Mahmoud Kaabneh said his family has been forced to relocate five times since October 7, when settler violence reportedly increased following the Hamas attack on Israel.
“Each time we’re attacked, they take our homes, our belongings, our animals. We are left with nothing but the clothes on our backs,” he said.
US Response to Settler Violence
In a separate incident over the weekend, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visited Taybeh, the last entirely Christian village in the West Bank. Taybeh has also experienced settler attacks, including arson targeting churches.
During his visit, Huckabee condemned the recent burning of a 1,500-year-old Byzantine church.
“To commit an act of sacrilege by desecrating a place of worship is an act of terror, and it is a crime,” he said.
Huckabee, known for his pro-Israel stance, has recently voiced stronger criticism of settler violence, including the killing of an American citizen by settlers last week. It remains unclear whether this signals a shift in his broader views on Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
