On Monday evening, 25 November 2024, the DCO informed residents of ‘Urif they were permitted a single day to harvest olives on their land – the next morning. Though the land lies within Area B, the military denied their access to it altogether in 2023.
Because of the short notice and the rainy weather, only about seven families set out to harvest the next morning, Tuesday, 26 November 2024. Around 7:00 A.M., residents arrived at their land northeast of the village and spread out in the plots. About 30 minutes after they started harvesting, the Yitzhar settlement guard, who introduces himself to area residents as Ya’akov, arrived with three soldiers the residents recognized as settlers. Ya’akov and the soldiers took the farmers’ ID cards and told them anyone under 40 had to leave immediately. The older farmers stayed, and Ya’akov and the soldiers left.
After about an hour, Ya’akov returned, accompanied by other soldiers, and demanded the remaining farmers leave within four minutes. The farmers left. Later that day, the farmers spoke with the DCO, and after receiving further permission, some of them returned to the land – only for Ya’akov to kick them out a third time.
Fawzi Shhadeh, 60, a farmer and father of six, told B’Tselem field researcher Salma a-Deb’i:
Just one hour later, Ya’akov came back with other settlers in military uniforms. This time, he came on foot. He told us: “You have four minutes to leave.” When I asked him why, he answered: “I call the shots here.” I told him we had coordination and that anyway, we were in Area B, which is right next to our houses. He said, “I don’t care. Four minutes and you’re out.” I told him again that there was coordination, and then he started cursing the DCO, and added: “I make the decisions around here.” He pointed to his gun and said: “Four minutes. If you don’t leave, I’ll shoot you in the head.”