Daily Protests of Palestinian Citizens of Israel Against Settler Outpost in Majd al-Krum

Palestinian citizens of Israel have reacted by staging daily protests against the settler outpost established by settlers from the West Bank in the heart of a Palestinian-populated city in Majd al-Krum since Friday, October 22, 2023. This outpost, which includes tents set up on state land, has quickly become a focal point for tension and political strife.

Establishment of Settler Outpost in Majd al-Krum

A group of Israeli citizens, likely from the settlement of Tekoa near Bethlehem, set up tents on state land in Majd al-Krum on Friday. This action follows the announcement of the electoral program by Israel's Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, for the "Judaization" of the Negev and Galilee. Smotrich referenced the proliferation of one million Jewish citizens in these areas and called for the expansion of the "settlement revolution" from the West Bank to the interior regions of Israel.

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Local Reaction and Concerns Over Expansion of the Outpost

The local council of Majd al-Krum stated that this outpost has been established in "a dangerous political context" and warned that its aim is to create a new reality on the ground. Issa al-Badri, an activist from the Majd al-Krum Popular Committee, said that residents discovered the outpost on Friday and the committee called on residents to continue mobilizing against the settlers.

Al-Badri stated, "There are landowners from Majd al-Krum in this area, and we want to preserve our lands." The settlers' outpost has been constructed on state land leased from the Jewish National Fund, specifically designated for grazing livestock. However, this location has soon been occupied by settler youth who brought tents with furniture to the site.

Palestinian residents are concerned that this outpost will gradually expand onto private Palestinian land or restrict their access to these lands. Al-Badri said, "We are talking about young people who commit violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. They are the same individuals who are here, and we will not allow them to seize the land."

The local council and the popular committee announced that daily protests will continue from 5 PM until dark. Al-Badri added, "Hundreds of residents of Majd al-Krum are here, and the mobilization will continue until they leave."

Sami Abu Shahadeh, leader of the Balad party and candidate in the upcoming Israeli elections, stated that grazing by settlers has become a tactic for seizing Palestinian land. He explained that this tactic has been widely used in Area C of the West Bank and has now expanded to Majd al-Krum as well. Abu Shahadeh warned that the ultimate goal is to erase the Green Line and the borders of 1949, which have acted as an informal border between Israel and the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

He said, "The goal is to erase the Green Line so that no Palestinian land remains or the Oslo Accords become meaningless. All of historic Palestine belongs to the Jews, and there is no difference between the territories occupied in 1967 and the State of Israel." Abu Shahadeh also emphasized that this development relates to Smotrich's "decisive" plan prepared in 2017, aimed at eradicating the national aspirations of Palestinians.

He noted, "This plan clearly states that Palestinians have no rights over any part of historic Palestinian land and must voluntarily and happily accept the occupation." Abu Shahadeh stated, "Smotrich is not just representing himself; he is a minister in the Israeli government, and this danger arises from the fact that this is a state project that many institutions of this government have accepted and supported."

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