Al-Burj, Tubas District: Israeli settlers attacked and injured Palestinian shepherds in front of soldiers who did not intervene but did call ambulances

On Tuesday, 11 March 2025, at around 9:00 A.M., several residents of the ‘Ein al-Meyteh community were grazing their flocks in the al-Burj area, about four kilometers from their homes. Suddenly, approximately eight settlers armed with clubs arrived and attacked one of the shepherds, 38-year-old Ghanam al-Faqir, beating him until he lost consciousness. Other shepherds, including his brothers Muhammad (45) and Ghaleb (40), tried to fend off the settlers by throwing stones in an attempt to rescue Ghanam. During the confrontation, Ghaleb sustained injuries to his hand and head.

Muhammad al-Faqir managed to carry his unconscious brother Ghanam to a nearby wadi. At that point, four soldiers arrived, joined by settlers who came on ATVs, horseback, and on foot. The soldiers fired five shots in Muhammad’s direction, forcing him to stop. He laid Ghanam on the ground and sat beside him.

The soldiers and settlers caught up with the brothers. In full view of the soldiers, one settler struck Muhammad in the head with a club, knocking him unconscious. When Muhammad regained consciousness, the settlers had already left.

About half an hour later, Israeli ambulances called by the soldiers arrived and transported the wounded to the main road. There, they were transferred to Palestinian ambulances from ‘Ein al-Beida, which took them to the Turkish Hospital in Tubas. Ghanam al-Faqir was diagnosed with a fractured nose and right arm, as well as deep gashes in his head.

Testimony of Muhammad al-Faqir, 45, a father of seven, given to B’Tselem field researcher ‘Aref Daraghmeh on 11 March 2025:

This morning, I was grazing sheep near where I live in the al-Meyteh area. My brother Ghanam and some others were grazing their flocks downhill, to the west, where I could see them. Suddenly, a black car with settlers showed up. I think it belongs to the new outpost that was set up north of the Tayasir checkpoint. More than six settlers got out and started chasing my brother Ghanam. He ran away with his flock, but they caught up and started beating him.

I went down to where he was, and other shepherds from our family arrived. I saw Ghanam bleeding as the settlers continued to beat him. I told the other shepherds to cover me so I could rescue my brother and get him away from them. I got to him and managed to carry him away. I dragged him part of the way, while the shepherds and settlers threw stones at each other.

Suddenly, more settlers arrived—some on horseback, some on ATVs, others on foot. I barely made it to the east side of Wadi a-Lasam. After I advanced a short distance into the wadi, I looked back and saw about four soldiers and seven settlers chasing me. I shouted to the shepherds to run and hide. Then the soldiers fired about six bullets at me.

I put down Ghanam, who was unconscious, and sat next to him. The soldiers and settlers reached us. As I was sitting, a settler came up behind me and struck me on the head with an iron pipe. I fell to the ground, unconscious. My brother Ghanam was also lying there, unable to move.

When I regained consciousness, only soldiers were around me. I could barely see because of the blow and the blood streaming down my face. We were in an area that’s hard to reach, and it took about half an hour, I don’t know exactly, before Israeli ambulances arrived. The crews spoke Hebrew. They put my brother and me on stretchers, took us into the ambulance and we headed towards the main road. The Israeli paramedics bandaged our heads, and my brother Ghaleb’s arm. He was also injured. They drove to the main road, where they transferred us to Palestinian ambulances. We were taken through the Tayasir checkpoint, which has been closed for a long time. They opened it for us, and the ambulances took us to the Turkish Hospital in Tubas. My brother Ghanam, who had been severely beaten in the head, was still unconscious.

At the hospital, they did some imaging and found that Ghanam’s nose and right arm were fractured. He also had deep gashes in his head, which they stitched up. I just got the one blow to the head, and thank God I’m okay.