On Sunday, 11 September 2022, at around 11:00 A.M., while Yusef Bsharat (45), a resident of Khallet Makhul, was grazing his flock north of the community, a settler arrived on an ATV. The settler drove erratically among the sheep, honking, dispersing the flock and driving Bsharat away. Two days later, on 13 September 2022, another settler arrived at the pastureland in his car while Bsharat was there with his flock. The settler ordered Bsharat to leave and threatened him. About a week later, on 20 September 2022, settlers again came to the pastureland, this time with a dog, threatened Bsharat and again ordered him to leave.
On Friday morning, 23 September 2022, while Yusef’s brother, Burhan Bsharat (47), was grazing his flock escorted by Israeli and international activists in pastureland about four kilometers east of the community, four settlers arrived and accused them of vandalizing a fence they had put up there. A confrontation ensued, including mutual shoving, between the settlers and the shepherd and his companions. The settlers summoned police officers and soldiers, who arrested one of the activists. The settlers then left, while the forces remained for several hours. That evening, several settlers entered the community of Khallet Makhul riding ATVs, patrolled among the tents and harassed the residents.
The next day, in the early morning hours of 24 September 2022, three settlers again came to the community on ATVs and rode among the tents, swearing at residents and harassing them. The same thing happened that night, and again on 25 and 28 September 2022.
On Friday, 30 September 2022, at around 9:00 A.M., area residents demonstrated against settler violence along with Israeli and international activists at the intersection leading to Khallet Makhul, along Route 90. The protesters waved flags and signs until police officers arrived and ordered them to leave. The next day, on 1 October 2022, settlers again entered the community, patrolled among the homes and harassed residents.
Since January 2020, B’Tselem has published 11 reports of settlers harassing Khallet Makhul residents, sometimes aided by security forces. The community, which is home to some 30 people, about half of them minors, has been suffering for years from eviction efforts by the authorities.
Resident Burhan Bsharat spoke about life in the community in a testimony he gave B’Tselem field researcher ‘Aref Daraghmeh on 1 October 2022:
Ever since settlers established outposts to the south and east of our community, our life has become much worse. They brought sheep and cattle, which they graze in our pastureland, and we can now graze our flocks only around our tents and homes. Sometimes, activists come and when they escort us, we can venture out to the pastureland because they protect us from the settlers’ violence. The settlers keep putting barbed-wire fences around pastureland to prevent us from accessing those areas, and soldiers and police officers arrest activists who come to help us.
In the summer, my family moves to live elsewhere during the week, and I stay here alone to care for our flock and property. The rest of the family usually comes on Thursdays, but lately, because of the settler violence, I’ve asked them not to come. I haven’t been able to sleep at all for several days now, for fear of the settlers. I get no rest. I feel that they could kill me. I’m exhausted from the conflicts in the pastureland and have started buying feed for the sheep instead of taking them out. The police and military do nothing when we complain about the situation. The settlers keep patrolling in the community and threatening to expel us from the area. I fear for myself and my flock.