By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

A rights report reveals systematic livestock theft by settlers amid escalating attacks on Palestinian property, land, and livelihoods.

Key Developments

• Over 12,000 livestock were stolen in 2025, with 1,500 more taken since the start of 2026.
• Rights group says theft has become organized, widespread, and systematic.
• Armed settlers carry out raids under the direct protection of occupation forces.

Systematic Theft

A report by the Al-Baydar Organization for the Defense of Bedouin Rights has documented the large-scale theft of Palestinian livestock by Israeli settlers, describing it as a widespread and organized phenomenon rather than isolated incidents.

According to the report, settlers stole more than 12,000 heads of livestock during 2025 alone.

Since the beginning of 2026, an additional 1,500 animals have been taken.

The organization said that theft of livestock and other Palestinian property is now being carried out repeatedly across multiple communities, supported by documented video footage and field testimonies.

The report states that these operations follow a consistent pattern: Armed settlers storm grazing lands or residential areas, seize livestock by force, and withdraw without accountability.

These attacks take place under direct protection from Israeli occupation forces, with soldiers either accompanying the settlers or securing the area, blocking access and preventing residents from responding or receiving assistance.

Ein Yabrud

A documented case in the town of Ein Yabrud, northeast of Ramallah, details repeated thefts targeting Palestinian resident Mohammad Hujair.

Settlers stole three of his horses over the course of one year.

In one incident, 14 settlers attacked his home, while others entered the village alongside the army, which closed all entrances and prevented people from reaching the area.

“They beat us brutally, without mercy, and stole my horse in front of me,” Hujair said, adding that they attempted to take another horse tied near the house.

He said this was the third time his horses were stolen, with incidents occurring during Ramadan, in January, and again in April. The total losses reached approximately 50,000 shekels (around $16,000) within one year.

Residents in the same area reported similar incidents. One lost 30 sheep, another 40, and a third 20, with repeated thefts creating a constant state of fear.

Entire Flocks Taken

In another case, Palestinian resident Salim Turki Hamayel reported that settlers attacked his farm earlier this week and stole his entire flock of 74 sheep.

The sheep were described as high-quality livestock, with an estimated value between $50,000 and $60,000.

According to the report, settlers cut the main gate of the farm, broke through surrounding fences, disabled surveillance cameras, and carried out the theft before moving the animals to a nearby settlement outpost and later to an unknown location.

‘1500 Face Displacement’: Israeli Bulldozers Return to Al-Sir as Demolitions Resume in Naqab

Uprooting Trees in Nablus

Meanwhile, Israeli occupation bulldozers uprooted dozens of olive and almond trees in the plains of al-Lubban al-Sharqiya, south of Nablus, for the second consecutive day, WAFA news agency reported.

Local sources said the uprooting took place near the girls’ secondary school and the main entrance of the village, with more than 10 dunams of agricultural land also leveled.

The day before, more than 250 fruit trees were uprooted in the same area, along with the destruction of additional cultivated land.

Home Demolition in Hebron

In the town of Tarqumiya, northwest of Hebron, Israeli occupation forces demolished a two-story house belonging to Amir Bassam al-Jaafra.

The house sheltered 10 people and was demolished after being emptied of its contents.

Residents noted that demolition notices had previously been issued against several homes in the same area, despite owners holding official ownership documents.

‘1500 Face Displacement’: Israeli Bulldozers Return to Al-Sir as Demolitions Resume in Naqab

Land Bulldozing in Jerusalem

In occupied East Jerusalem, Israeli bulldozers razed Palestinian-owned land in the al-Bustan neighborhood of Silwan.

According to the Jerusalem Governorate, the operation included clearing rubble from homes that had been demolished weeks earlier in the same area.

Residents face pressure to demolish their own homes under the pretext of lacking building permits, or risk forced demolition and financial penalties.

Attacks South of Nablus

Settlers also carried out attacks on Palestinian homes and property in areas south of Nablus.

In the outskirts of Beita, homes and infrastructure were targeted, including damage to a municipal water line during maintenance work.

In Khirbet al-Marajim, part of Duma village lands, settlers attacked a house and damaged a water meter.

In the village of Jalud, settlers set up tents on land east of the village in an attempt to take control of the area.

(QNN, WAFA, PC, Palestinian Media)