Update from the Jordan Valley: Stopping settler violence

29/07/18

On the last Friday of July, dozens of Zazim activists gathered around Burhan, a shepherd from the Samara village in the northern Jordan Valley to hear the story of his community. But the village of was empty of any local life. Just several weeks before our visit, Samara still had a thriving community, but violent settlers from a nearby outpost repeatedly attacked the community's herds of sheep and the shepherds themselves. Burhan told us that the families had had no other choice but to leave.

Our community campaigns and acts against settler violence, resists the occupation and advocates for the rights of Palestinian families. In recent months, thousands petitioned the Civil Administration to stop the violent setters and to protect the shepherds – but the soldiers on the ground are still choosing to ignore it. So we had to do more, and thanks to the 243 Zazim activists who contributed, we travelled to the communities in the Jordan Valley for a protest and solidarity tour. By bringing their stories back to our cities and communities, we resist the settler violence that is allowed to happen when no one is watching.    

Time and time again, campaign after campaign, our community stands firm in the struggle to end the occupation so we can all have a better future. Together we won a campaign and channeled water to the villages that were cut off from the water infrastructure at the height of the summer, we stood with Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest season to minimise attacks on them when in the fields, and we will keep fighting for the rights of Gazan residents too. Thanks to you, we will continue to work until we win.