Sharek Youth Forum Calls for the Protection of the Youth Village and Wadi Hamd Farmers, and an End to Settler Attacks

Sharek Youth Forum condemns the ongoing settler attacks on the Youth Village in Kafr Ni’ma, including the theft of its contents and property. These incidents are part of a continuing pattern of harassment targeting the site and its visitors, and threatening young people’s safe access to the village and their ability to carry out activities freely.

The Forum also condemns the attacks on farmers in the Wadi Hamd area and the prevention of their access to their land and olive harvest across the area. Denying farmers access to and use of their land, assaulting them, or taking their property constitutes a serious violation of their rights and livelihoods, and puts the olive harvest and their families’ sources of income at risk.

The Forum holds the Israeli occupying authorities responsible for protecting civilians and their property, ensuring farmers can reach their land, and ending settler attacks and harassment targeting the Youth Village and local residents. It calls on human rights and humanitarian organizations, international bodies, and diplomatic missions to intervene urgently, document these violations, and exert pressure to ensure they cease and those responsible are held accountable.

The Forum calls for the protection of young people and farmers, and for them to be able to return to the Youth Village and resume their activities, as well as access their land and harvest olives without threats, harassment, or attacks.

The continuation of these attacks poses a direct threat to the security of the local community and its rights to live, work, and carry out activities on its land. It requires serious international action to protect civilians and their property and uphold their rights.