Israeli Authorities Accused of Aiding Settlers in Demolishing Homes Near Jericho

The area southwest of Jericho, once dotted with Palestinian homes amid gardens and swimming pools, is now flattened ground. Some houses are buried under layers of earth, with only severed water pipes and piles of rubble indicating that people once lived there.

Since July 19, bulldozers operated by settlers have arrived in the area almost daily. The stated mission was "garbage removal," but in reality, it has destroyed more homes, alleys, and gardens while digging pits to bury debris within the residential area. The settler identified is Hanan Herbst, owner of the Armonot Farm outpost, which the Israeli government recognized as a legal settlement named Daya in late March.

Herbst was escorted by Israeli soldiers on each visit. Residents say they were never shown any official court documents or orders. "There is no official order, just thuggish behavior and brute force," said Mohammad Salah, a resident whose home entrance was blocked by piles of rubble.

According to court documents obtained by Al Jazeera, an agreement from March 2025 between Herbst and the Settlement Division of the World Zionist Organization (WZO) allowed him to farm on "state land." After a settler attack in February that destroyed homes in the area, the Binyamin Regional Council asked the Israeli Civil Administration to let Herbst clear "construction waste" from "previous demolitions," without specifying it was caused by settlers. The Civil Administration approved, and the Jordan Valley Brigade Commander, Colonel Gilad Shriki, authorized military escorts for Herbst.

Some Palestinian homes in the area are protected by demolition injunctions from Israeli courts. Lawyer Tawfiq Jabareen, who filed a petition with the Israeli Supreme Court, argues the military "circumvented" court decisions by letting settlers carry out the demolitions. "The military and the Civil Administration are now under the control of settlers... Law and court rulings mean nothing to them," Jabareen said.

The crisis began on February 10, when Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu posted a video at a nearby archaeological site, declaring, "Anywhere built on Jewish heritage, we will destroy it." Shortly after, dozens of masked settlers from Armonot and elsewhere attacked two Palestinian communities for about eight hours. The Bedouin community of about 100 people from the Kaabneh tribe and the villa area of Palestinian families were affected. Thirteen homes in the Bedouin area and three in the neighboring area were completely destroyed.

Ali Kaabneh, 40, a Bedouin shepherd, recounted: "They threw stones at me, forcing me and my wife to leave our home... It was a threat: I would die if I didn't go out." His flock of 150 sheep was scattered, and his licensed tractor was taken. Many Bedouin families have since been living amid the ruins of their own homes.

After the February attack, residents say there was a period of "calm," but settlers continued to steal property and uproot trees. "Anyone who wants to fix their house wall, Herbst comes and stops them," said Hussein Taha, a longtime resident. That "calm" ended on July 19 when Herbst arrived with bulldozers.

Lawyer Jabareen filed urgent requests for injunctions at the Israeli Supreme Court on July 23 and again on July 29 as the demolitions intensified. However, documents from the Israeli state revealed that the farming agreement existed beforehand, and settlers were instructed not to destroy structures or trees and to stay within allocated areas—conditions residents and activists say were completely violated.

Khalil al-Razim, 60, a Jerusalemite who has spent summers at his family's land in Ein al-Duyuk for over a decade, said the legal system prevents Palestinians from registering land ownership under traditional law. "They know there are no land documents, but they still tell us to bring evidence. They exploit that gap," he said.

Salah had to move his wife and four children to a rented apartment in Bethlehem costing 2,000 shekels (about $667) per month, despite being unemployed. He still often returns alone to his old home. "Whenever I mention this, my wife breaks down. My children ask, 'Why can't we go home?' I don't know what to tell them," Salah said emotionally.

He recounted his son's words: "I always told my kids: If you don't cause trouble, no one bothers you. But now my son says, 'Dad, you lied. Look, we didn't cause trouble, yet they still came to destroy our house.'"

Al Jazeera contacted Israeli authorities for comment but received no response. Herbst was also reached by phone but hung up as soon as he realized it was a reporter.