Khallet a-Sidrah, al-Quds District: Shepherding community facing immediate expulsion

The Palestinian community of Khallet a-Sidrah lies about 800 meters northeast of the village of Mikhmas. It is home to 16 families from the Ka’abneh and Jahalin tribes, numbering 59 people in total, about half of them children, who live off shepherding.

The settlement of Ma'ale Mikhmas was established in 1981 about 1.5 kilometers from the community. Since 2022, three more outposts have been established nearby: Nahalat Zvi, about 1 kilometer south of the community; Sde Yonatan, about 1.5 kilometers to the north; and Kol Mevaser, established in October 2025 only some 500 meters south of community homes.

In the last year, area settlers have attacked the community with extreme violence, in some cases injuring residents and solidarity activists, and torching most of the homes. The gravest incident took place on 25 October 2025, several days after the Kol Mevaser outpost was established: dozens of settlers raided the community, threw stones at the fleeing residents and set fire to seven residential structures, a sheep pen and a storage shed. They badly beat two activists who were there and later required hospital care in Jerusalem. They also vandalized solar panels, stole equipment and other property, and smashed the car of an activist who came to assist the two activists attacked.

On 17 January 2026, settlers again raided the community, masked and bearing clubs, and threw stones at the fleeing residents. They then attacked a home with a couple trapped inside, smashing the windows and spraying pepper-spray inside. They broke into the home, assaulted the couple, forced them outside and set the place on fire. They also beat two activists and set fire to three vehicles.

Fearing further violence and theft of their livestock, the residents moved their herds to a safe place elsewhere.

The goal of the violence is clear: to fully drive out one of the last Palestinian communities still living in the area.