Khalil Hathaleen, head of the Umm al-Khair village council, told Anadolu that settlers, under the protection of Israeli forces, began setting up caravans, fencing off land, and constructing makeshift roads inside the heart of the village.
According to him, the new outpost effectively splits Umm al-Khair into two sections, disrupting movement and cutting off access routes used by residents, including schoolchildren and farmers.
“They have started building a new settlement neighbourhood in the middle of the village by installing caravans, erecting fences, and paving roads,” Hathaleen said, adding that construction activity intensified overnight.
He warned that the aim of the development is to increase pressure on residents in order to force them to leave their land. “The goal is to expel the people, but we are staying here,” he said.
Growing Pressure on Local Communities
Local activist Ahmad Hathaleen also confirmed that settlers had begun placing caravans inside the village overnight, calling the move a significant escalation in land control efforts.
He said the new outpost covers large areas of Umm al-Khair land—potentially dozens or even hundreds of dunams—despite earlier Israeli court rulings declaring similar construction illegal.
Residents fear the development is part of a broader strategy to fragment Palestinian communities in Masafer Yatta and increase restrictions on movement and access to essential services.
According to local accounts, Umm al-Khair has faced repeated incidents including demolitions, warning notices, and disruptions to water and electricity supplies, creating what residents describe as “constant pressure” on daily life.
Escalating Violence in the West Bank
The latest development comes amid a wider surge in violence and settlement expansion across the occupied West Bank.
The Palestinian Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission reported approximately 1,637 settler-related attacks in April alone, reflecting what officials describe as a sharp escalation in confrontations and land disputes.
These incidents have coincided with intensified Israeli military operations across West Bank cities and towns since the ongoing Gaza conflict began, including raids, arrests, home searches, and property demolitions.
Palestinian officials and activists warn that the combination of settlement expansion and military activity is reshaping the geography of several rural areas, particularly in regions like Masafer Yatta, where Bedouin and farming communities say they face increasing risks of displacement.
Israel has not issued an immediate response to the latest allegations regarding the new outpost in Umm al-Khair.
As tensions continue to rise, residents say life in the area remains uncertain, with fears that further expansion could permanently alter the landscape of southern Hebron’s rural communities.
