Israeli settlers have intensified their attacks on Palestinian farmers and their properties in the occupied West Bank, using false accusations of livestock theft as a pretext to seize more land, according to human rights groups and local witnesses.
In recent weeks, several incidents of settlers breaking into Palestinian homes and farms, sometimes accompanied by Israeli soldiers, have been documented on social media and reported by local media. The settlers, armed with rifles and wearing military uniforms, claim that the Palestinians have stolen their sheep or cattle, without providing any evidence.
The settlers then proceed to harass, intimidate, and sometimes assault the Palestinian residents, and in some cases, confiscate their animals or damage their crops. The Israeli forces, instead of protecting the Palestinians or arresting the settlers, often assist them or turn a blind eye to their actions.