War. And Peace? Ethnic cleansing in Masafer Yatta: The Clock is Ticking!
- Eyal Shani
- Jul 4
- 3 min read
Dear friends,
On June 18th, 2025, the Supreme Planning Council of the Judea and Samaria District made a critical decision: approval for the IDF to train in Firing Zone 918. A decision which marks the beginning of the total removal and demolition of 12 Palestinian villages, home to approximately 2,800 people, in the Massafer Yatta area (but not the Jewish outposts that have invaded the area over the past year and a half). This is a devastating decision that threatens to expel hundreds of families from their homes, destroy their lives, and dispossess them of the land on which they have lived for generations.
We are reaching out to you now. This is urgent.
This is not just another distant story. It is happening now. It is close to us, part of our struggle for the rights of others. These are people whom we know and have visited in their villages for years. They do not belong to any political movement, they simply want to live their lives. This story touches all of us, please do not ignore it!
They are not asking for much, only the right to live with dignity on their land.
This destruction, this expulsion — under the cover of the war in Gaza and now with Iran — is a deliberate and manipulative step, under the false claim of "security needs", to remove Palestinian residents. We see this in every settler action that is not dealt with by the state authorities, in every Supreme Court ruling that does not provide a solution. The army knows, and the state knows, these are not essential firing zones. This is about taking over Palestinian land and settling it exclusively with Jews.
Time is running out, and you have the power to change things!
The meaning of this decision is the immediate eviction of about 2,800 people. Within a few days, their homes, infrastructure, and entire lives will be destroyed. We are calling on you, to help stop this expulsion.
They need us. If you have connections — embassies, Members of Parliament, international organizations —now is the time to act. Share this call with anyone who can help. Every letter, every appeal, every bit of pressure can change the reality for them.
The struggle of Massafer Yatta is a struggle for life!
We are witnessing today a move that is driving this revolution, a slow and systematic ethnic cleansing that is not only a threat to the Massafer, but to each and every one of us. Today it is 12 villages in the West Bank, tomorrow it could be anywhere. This is a struggle is about existence, about the future, about basic justice.
It is not only political law that is being broken, it is also every principle of human justice. The courts have closed their eyes and have not even tried to intervene. The lawyers dealing with the issue have exhausted all legal options and have turned to us, asking to strengthen our presence in Massafer Yatta and to reach as many diplomats and foreign contacts as possible in order to apply the necessary pressure to overturn this terrible decree.
The more voices that join this call, the greater the chance we have to change this move. Please help us stop the destruction, to stop the eviction, to stop the expulsion. We have no time, this devastation is already underway.
For the residents of Massafer Yatta, every voice can save lives. The lives of these people depend on our action. Help us prevent this destructive move!
You are invited to join us to see with your own eyes and support us with your presence.
The “Peace bearer” Group: Assi, Salem, Assaf, Dorit, Danny, Muhammad, and Eyal
For details and more information, you are invited to join our WhatsApp group. If you want to take an active part, from afar or by joining us physically, you are invited to contact us directly
Edited by Yonathan (Jon) Anson (anson@bgu.ac.il)
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