On 17 November 2021, at around 8:30 A.M., two employees of a surveying company, Mu’tasem Mashani (27) and Mujahed Shalaldeh (26), arrived at village land to take measurements for the local council. The work was coordinated with the Civil Administration, and two Border Police officers accompanied the surveyors. That day, farmers from the village came to the area as it was one of three harvest days coordinated by the Civil Administration. They were also accompanied by Border Police officers and by a Civil Administration representative.
At around 10:30 A.M., about 30 settlers came from the direction of the settlement of Metzad (Asfar), established near the site, and began harassing the farmers. After a verbal confrontation, the settlers and the Border Police officers, including those sent to protect the farmers, began shoving the latter away. After the Border Police left the area, the settlers started throwing stones at the surveyors, who fled the scene. During their escape, one was hit in the head by a stone thrown by the settlers and continued running while bleeding. When the two reached their cars, parked about 700 meters away, farmers who were there tried to treat Mu’tasem Mashani’s wound. Afterwards, a Civil Administration representative arrived along with Border Police officers and a military medic who gave Mashani first aid.
Mashani filed a complaint at the police station in the settlement of Beitar Illit.
In a testimony he gave B’Tselem field researcher Manal al-Ja’bari on 21 November 2021, Mujahed Shalaldeh described what happened that day:
The settlers started throwing stones at us. Mu’tasem asked me to take the measuring device, which costs about NIS 70,000 (~USD 22,506), and run away because he was worried the settlers would damage it. We ran for about 700 meters until we reached our cars. On the way, the settlers threw stones at us from a high place. I heard Mu’tasem shout and when I turned around, I saw his face covered in blood.
I kept running and Mu’tasem ran behind me, bleeding, until we reached a safe place. Then I stopped to help him. I took my shirt off and bandaged his head with it to stop the bleeding. Then we ran to the car.