Um al-Kheir, South Hebron Hills: Israeli settler grazed sheep near community homes, destroying olive saplings. Soldiers and police officers raided the community and accused locals of attacking the settler

The settler’s sheep eating olive saplings belonging to Um al-Kheir residents. Still from video courtesy of residents

This morning, 29 October 2025, a settler grazed his flock of sheep near Um al-Kheir homes, destroying olive saplings. The residents called the police several times to report his presence, but no officers arrived. After the settler left, soldiers came to the community, accused the residents of throwing stones at him, took down the information of several of them, and left. Later, police officers arrived together with the settler himself and again accused the residents of attacking him. An Israeli activist present at the scene explained to the police that there had been no attack and that the settler had been grazing his flock near the homes. The officers then falsely claimed that the area was classified as state land or survey land (meaning land that can be declared as state land) and that the settler was allowed to graze there.

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