There has been a serious escalation of violent attacks om the Palestinian communuities of Al Aqaba and Tayasir since the establishment of new settler outposts in ‘Einun and Al Aqaba.

On Wednesday 8 April, Israeli settlers carried out further attacks on Palestinians in Al Aqaba and Tayasir, murdering Alaa Khaled Muhammad Sobeih.

Settlers from the new outpost in Al Aqaba attacked farmer Mahmoud Dabak whilst he was out on his land. They hit him in his head and chest, hospitalising him.

Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians again whilst they were grazing their sheep and were in their greenhouses near to Al-Aqaba. When the residents of Tayasir came to their defence the settlers shot live ammunition at them. A settler, who was an Israeli soldier on leave, shot and murdered Alaa Khaled Muhammad Sobeih. The Israeli army then refused access to the ambulance as it attempted to reach the injured farmers, then they refused to hand over Alaa’s body to the Red Crescent ambulance staff.

In contrast, an injured settler was taken directly to hospital by helicopter.

These attacks, and the escalation of violence, destruction and harassment against Palestinians in the northern Jordan Valley, have come since the announcement of the Occupations plan to erect a new wall that will go through the Jordan Valley, separating communities and annexing yet more Palestinian land.