Palestinian families brace for expulsion as settlers erect outpost near West Bank village

Palestinian families in al-Shuneh, a cluster in the West Bank village of Jiftlik, say a newly established Israeli settler outpost nearby has intensified threats and fear of displacement. The development matters because residents depend on the area for their homes and livestock-based livelihoods, while many already face demolition orders and have histories of displacement.

The outpost appeared shortly before Israel’s 27 October parliamentary election, with tents, flags and utility cables installed on a nearby hill; its settler population was estimated at nearly 20 within days. Residents report masked settlers surrounding homes and threatening families, and schoolchildren have encountered settlers on their walk to school. A Palestinian commission recorded 28 attempted new outposts and 1,369 settler attacks across the West Bank in October.