WEST BANK, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), Several Palestinians suffered bruises and tear gas inhalation, and multiple vehicles were vandalized on Thursday when groups of Jewish settlers attacked the town of Atara, north of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank.
Meanwhile, 13 sheep died and others were poisoned after settlers sprayed toxic substances in the Al-Auja area, north of Jericho, amid escalating organized settler attacks against Palestinians and their property.
Settlers attack Atara as Israeli forces close Ramallah entrances
Dozens of Jewish settlers attacked Palestinian homes in Atara, north of Ramallah, assaulting residents and smashing several vehicles. Several Palestinians sustained bruises during the attack, which followed the removal of a settlement outpost established on the town’s land.
Confrontations also erupted as residents attempted to repel the settlers.
Israeli forces subsequently stormed the town, firing live ammunition, tear gas canisters, and stun grenades toward Palestinians. According to local accounts, the Israeli military intervention protected settlers during their attacks.
At the same time, groups of settlers attacked major roads surrounding Ramallah, while Israeli forces closed the Atara and Ein Siniya checkpoints, along with entrances to the city.
The closures severely disrupted traffic, leaving thousands of Palestinian vehicles stranded on surrounding roads.
Thirteen sheep poisoned near Jericho after settler attack
In the Jericho and Jordan Valley Governorate, 13 sheep died and others were poisoned after settlers sprayed toxic substances in an area west of Al-Auja, north of Jericho.
The sheep’s owner, Palestinian farmer Suleiman Mleihat, said settlers who regularly pass near his farm, accompanied by Israeli forces, deliberately scattered poisonous substances in the area.
Mleihat said the substances killed 13 of his sheep and poisoned others, with veterinary examinations confirming the poisoning.
The attack carries particular significance because Mleihat’s family had previously been forcibly displaced from the Arab al-Mleihat community, located at the end of Al-Muarrajat Road west of Jericho.
The family was forced to leave the community in July 2025 following repeated settler attacks and threats.
Settler violence escalates across West Bank
The latest incidents come amid escalating settler attacks across the West Bank and Occupied Jerusalem.
According to figures cited by the Palestinian Refugees Portal, approximately 750,000 Jewish settlers live in 156 settlements and 360 settlement outposts across the occupied territories.
Since the beginning of Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza in October 2023, settler groups have intensified attacks against Palestinians and their property, often with the support or protection of Israeli troops.
The attacks have included killings, arson, destruction of agricultural crops, livestock poisoning, and assaults on Palestinian homes and communities.
Palestinian residents and rights advocates say these attacks are part of a broader effort to undermine Palestinian livelihoods, increase pressure on vulnerable communities, and force residents from their land.
The attacks in Atara and Al-Auja highlight the growing threats facing Palestinian families, farmers, and livestock owners as settler violence continues across the occupied West Bank.
