On Tuesday afternoon, 31 October 2023, ‘Abd a-Rahim ‘Issa (62) and his son Zidan (43), residents of ‘Azzun ‘Atmah, went to harvest olives in their land in the area of Khalayel east of Sanniriya, which settlers have taken over in the last two years. Soon after, about 13 settlers arrived and attacked the two men, beating them with sticks and stones and stabbing Zidan in the abdomen with a knife. Soldiers who arrived at the scene removed the settlers and called for a military helicopter, which took the father and son to Beilinson Hospital in Israel, where they were admitted to the surgical department. ‘Abd a-Rahim ‘Issa was treated for head wounds, which were stitched, injuries to his eyes, and severe bruising all over his body. He was kept in hospital for three days. Zidan was treated for the stab wound in his abdomen, injury to his liver and severe bruising all over his body. He was kept in hospital for eight days.
‘Abd a-Rahim ‘Issa related, in a testimony he gave B’Tselem field researcher Abdulkarim Sadi:
On Tuesday, 31 October 2023, at around 2:30 P.M., I went with my son Zidan, 43, from our village, ‘Azzun ‘Atmah, to our land in the Khalayel area east of the village of Sanniriya, where we have an 80-dunam olive grove.
While we were picking olives, about 13 settlers started coming towards us, some of them with masked and some carrying iron clubs and knives. They came from an outpost that was established about two years ago, about 1,700 meters from our land. The settlers attacked us in a terrifying way. I started shouting and told them in Hebrew, “There's no need for violence, we’ll go, we’ll get out.” But they didn't listen and kept on beating us with the iron clubs all over our bodies and on our heads. We tried to defend ourselves, but there were a lot of them and they overpowered us. They kept on beating us even after they hit me several times on the head and I fell down. They also hit Zidan on the head and one of them stabbed him in the stomach. He fell down, too. They took photos of us and stole our phones and the keys to my car. Then they continued to hit and kick us for no reason, while we were lying there bleeding. This went on for about 20 minutes, until soldiers arrived. Just then, one of the settlers picked up a large stone and was about to throw it at my head, but one of the soldiers pushed him away, while the settler shouted, “Let him die.” More soldiers arrived and made all the settlers leave. We were both in bad shape, but I was still conscious. I remember hearing gunshots. While we were lying there, the soldiers took pictures of us, too.
They tried to give us first aid and called for a military helicopter, because we couldn't move at all. The helicopter took us to Beilinson Hospital, where they examined us. I had cuts on my head and left hand, and Zidan had a cut on his forehead, a chest fracture, and a stab wound and injury to the liver (upper abdomen). I was kept there for three days, and Zidan for eight.
While I was in the hospital, the Israel Police called me and asked that Zidan and I go to the Ariel police station to make a statement. On 7 November 2023, when Zidan was discharged, we went there. The police took our statements as suspects in the attack, and made us sign 2,000 shekels bail for ourselves, as well as an undertaking not to go near the area for 15 days.
On 22 November, when I went back to our land with my family, we discovered the settlers had stolen two ladders and 10 tarps we use for picking olives that we left there. They also vandalized a water cistern and pipes that bring water from Sanniriya, which we use for irrigation.
Since the attack, and after we discovered the damage they caused to our land, we were afraid to go back and couldn't continue with the olive harvest. We left about 25 dunams unharvested. I own the land, but the settlers are trying to take it over.