The Northern Jordan Valley: Enough is Enough

July 16, 2026

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Dear friend,

The northern Jordan Valley is a rural swath of land; in the area controlled by Israel, most of the population is made up of settlers, while the Palestinian minority is mainly small-scale shepherds—and increasingly endangered. As a result of settler violence and the indifference—if not outright cooperation—of the army and law enforcement, Palestinians in the northern Jordan Valley live in a constant state of fear and anxiety that ultimately drives many of them from their homes.  

The family and community expulsions tend to follow the same wretched pattern. First, illegal outposts are established adjacent to a Palestinian community. Settlers from the outposts begin encroaching on the land, blocking access to grazing areas, water, and farm plots. Next agricultural equipment and water tanks that Palestinians rely on for their livelihoods are sabotaged. Then settlers begin a campaign of verbal abuse, intimidation, and harassment, which escalates to theft, home invasions, and physical violence. Life becomes so tense and unbearable for residents that they ultimately see no choice but to leave. Eleven Palestinian shepherding communities in the area have been displaced since October 2023; the seven that remain are in danger of being similarly expelled from their homes.  

A Palestinian home in the village of Ain al-Hilweh. On the hill on the right is a lookout post erected by settlers: a constant reminder that the settlers are close and that the Palestinians are always being watched. Photo: ACRI

This situation is unacceptable. We filed a petition with the Supreme Court on behalf of the remaining seven Palestinian shepherding communities in the northern Jordan Valley. The petition demands that the Court order the State to protect these communities from settler violence; restore their access to grazing land, water, and other essential equipment and services; and allow the communities that have been forcibly displaced to return safely. We are insisting that the Court act now, before there is nothing and no one left to protect.  

We have sent appeals and petitions in the past to compel the army to stop the human rights violations taking place in the West Bank. This petition is different. It tells a story of ethnic cleansing, and asking the Court to look at the situation on a macro level rather than as isolated incidents affecting particular villages.  

A school in the village of Hamam al Malih after being ransacked by settlers.

Israel has obligations under international and Israeli law to protect the Palestinian residents of the West Bank. Yet the State is not only failing to protect them, it is actively enabling their misery and displacement, whether proactively or via neglect. We will not stand for this.  

Everyone has the right to live in safety on their land and in their homes. We will not stop fighting until that right is extended to the Palestinians of the northern Jordan Valley and the rest of the West Bank. Donate Now.

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