Settlers' Fires Pursue Al-Fandaqumiya Residents: Displacement Plans Under the Guise of Arson

Settler groups turned the atmosphere of Eid al-Fitr in the town of Al-Fandaqumiya, south of Jenin city, into a real nightmare, following a widespread attack targeting the southern area of the town. More than 200 settlers launched from the 'Homesh' settlement, which is built on citizens' lands, to carry out organized attacks that targeted stone and people under the cover of darkness.

The home of citizen Hassan Al-Zaabi was subjected to a deliberate arson attack that almost claimed the lives of his family members who were on a family visit at the moment of the attack. The assailants removed parts of the tiled roof and threw flammable materials inside the rooms, leading to the complete charring of the house and the explosion of its windows due to the intense heat from the fire.

Al-Zaabi described what happened as a full-fledged murder attempt, noting that the timing of the attack just before midnight reflects a premeditated intention to cause casualties among those sleeping. The family is now living in a state of dispersion and loss after losing their only shelter, as its members were forced to seek refuge in relatives' homes amidst a complete lack of security.

Ibrahim Al-Zaabi's home was not far from the targeting, as settlers surprised his family while they were sitting inside the house by smashing windows and throwing Molotov cocktails. The attack resulted in the burning of his private vehicle and damage to household furniture, while his wife was taken to the hospital due to severe suffocation from the thick smoke.

Local sources reported that the distance between the 'Homesh' settlement and Palestinian homes has significantly diminished in recent months. After the settlement was about three kilometers away, mobile homes (caravans) crept closer to become less than one kilometer away, making residents easy targets for daily attacks.

Rafat Qarariya, head of the local council in Al-Fandaqumiya, confirmed that the attacks aim to terrorize peaceful residents and force them to leave their lands near the settlement. He explained that the latest damage statistics included the complete burning of one house and partial burning of three houses, in addition to the destruction of four vehicles and widespread damage to property.

Qarariya pointed out that the residents were forced to confront the settlers with their bare chests in the absence of any official protection, as hundreds of young men rushed to repel the attack and prevent a massacre. These attacks are part of a escalating series of assaults that have intensified sharply since October 2023.

The 'Homesh' settlement has witnessed a frightening settlement expansion, with its area doubling to about 2000 dunams after it was no more than 700 dunams. This expansion comes at the expense of the lands of the villages of Burqa, Jaba, and Beit Imrin, benefiting from occupation decisions that legalized the return to previously evacuated settlements.

In an attempt to strengthen popular steadfastness, the village council announced the formation of 'local protection committees' to monitor settler movements and confront their attacks. Practical measures have also begun to distribute manual fire extinguishers and install iron barriers on the windows of threatened homes to reduce the effects of Molotov cocktails.

For his part, Salah Al-Khawaja, an official in the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, explained that the occupation completely disavows its responsibilities to compensate affected Palestinians. He affirmed that the commission is trying to provide possible assistance to restore burned homes in coordination with international organizations, despite the financial blockade imposed on official institutions.

Data from the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission indicates that the West Bank has witnessed about 7700 attacks since the start of the war on Gaza, reflecting a systematic policy to impose a new reality. The commission recorded more than 680 direct arson attacks on properties during the current and past two years, indicating the seriousness of the stage.

The events in Al-Fandaqumiya coincided with a wave of attacks that included 21 Palestinian towns in just two days, resulting in injuries to dozens of citizens. Observers believe that these attacks are not spontaneous but are carried out with coordination and protection from occupation forces that provide cover for settlers while they commit their crimes.

Residents of areas adjacent to settlements suffer from immense psychological and social pressures due to the lack of stability and constant fear for their children's lives. Residents confirm that repairing burned walls does not heal the psychological scars left by the terror, especially with the continued threats of returning again.

Palestinian steadfastness in these villages remains the last line of defense against the ambitions of settlement expansion that devours Palestinian land day by day. Residents demand the urgent provision of international protection to stop the encroachment of settlers who have become a second army targeting the Palestinian presence in the West Bank.

Settlers set fire knowing the possibility of sleeping residents inside; what happened was a deliberate murder attempt.