Settlers attempting to target West Bank farm open fire on Palestinians

What Happened

According to Wafa, Israeli settlers opened fire on Palestinians at a farm east of Al-Mughayyir village, northeast of Ramallah, on Friday after residents attempted to prevent the settlers from targeting a poultry farm. Marzouq Abu Naim, deputy head of the Al-Mughayyir village council, said Israeli forces subsequently intervened, firing tear gas at the Palestinians while protecting the settlers; no injuries were reported in that incident. In a separate incident the same day, two Palestinians from Al-Mughayyir were injured after being attacked by settlers on the Al-Ma'rajat road linking Ramallah and Jericho. One of the injured, Muhyi al-Din Abu Naim, said he and a colleague were returning from work in Al-Auja in the Jericho governorate when they came across a vehicle with a damaged tyre; as they attempted to help the driver, settlers arriving in two vehicles attacked them with sticks and sharp tools. Both sustained fractures and bruises and were taken for medical treatment. Wafa also reported that Israeli forces opened fire at a vehicle in Al-Bireh in the central occupied West Bank on Friday evening, causing it to overturn.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The reported incidents add to a pattern of settler-related violence in the Ramallah–Jericho corridor, where access routes such as Al-Ma'rajat road have been flashpoints. The allegation that Israeli forces intervened to protect settlers while firing tear gas at Palestinians, and the separate use of live fire in Al-Bireh that overturned a vehicle, could heighten tensions in the central occupied West Bank and draw scrutiny from Palestinian officials, human rights groups, and international observers.

Watch For

Monitor whether Israeli military or police issue statements on the Al-Mughayyir, Al-Ma'rajat, and Al-Bireh incidents; whether the two injured Palestinians' medical status is updated; and whether Wafa or other outlets report additional settler-related incidents in the Ramallah–Jericho corridor. Watch for any Palestinian Authority or UN OCHA documentation of the incidents and for any investigation announcements.