Dozens of Palestinian Bedouin families have fled their homes in the occupied West Bank due to escalating violence and harassment by Israeli settlers backed by military forces. Since the war on Gaza began in October 2023, attacks have surged across the region, pushing vulnerable communities to the brink.
In recent days, about 50 families from the Arab Mleihat Bedouin community northwest of Jericho were forcibly displaced. Thirty families left early Friday morning, while another 20 fled the previous day. The community, once home to around 85 families totaling roughly 500 people, is now largely abandoned.
For years, the residents tried to remain on their land, facing increasing threats with little to no external support. Many report that the settlers, often armed, terrorized the community while being protected by Israeli military forces. Families say they faced gunpoint threats, verbal abuse, and physical danger, prompting them to dismantle their tents and leave.
One mother recounted how her family fled to the Aqbat Jabr refugee camp after armed settlers confronted them directly. Another resident, a father of seven, said their decision to flee came after realizing they were defenseless. “We can’t do anything to stop them,” he explained, noting the military’s presence enabled the settlers’ actions.
Videos circulating online have shown families leaving in trucks under cover of night, carrying their belongings away from the only homes they’ve known for generations. These scenes underscore a growing fear that this displacement is not temporary, but part of a broader effort to erase Palestinian presence and expand illegal settlements in the area.
Some community members, breaking down their tents and structures, expressed heartbreak at leaving a place where they had lived for decades, describing the event as a “new Nakba”—a reference to the 1948 mass displacement of Palestinians during the creation of the Israeli state. The term, which means “catastrophe” in Arabic, carries deep historical pain and resonates strongly with those now forced to uproot their lives.
This displacement is not an isolated incident. The region where the Mleihat tribe lived has been the site of repeated violence in recent years. Armed settlers have attacked schools, blocked roads, fired into the air, and hurled stones at Palestinian vehicles. Residents describe living under constant threat, with no recourse to safety or justice.
Many of the displaced families are now scattered across the Jordan Valley, including the city of Jericho. Some are staying in refugee camps, while others seek temporary shelter wherever it is available.
The Israeli government has not issued any statement addressing the settlers’ harassment or the mass displacement of the Bedouin families. While officials have condemned vigilante violence in general, critics argue that inaction and military complicity continue to fuel the crisis.
Meanwhile, settlement expansion continues, displacing Palestinian communities who have lived under military occupation since 1967. Most of the international community considers these settlements illegal under international law, viewing them as a direct violation of the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit the transfer of civilian populations into occupied territory.
