Israeli forces have targeted a Bedouin community near the town of Mukhmas, north of occupied Jerusalem, while also preventing a cultural exhibition from taking place in the city. These actions mark a concerning escalation in the ongoing tensions in the region.
Residents of the Khillet al-Sidra community, located near Mukhmas, were issued a military order declaring the area a “closed military zone.” This order forced residents and solidarity activists to evacuate the area. Following the withdrawal of Israeli troops, groups of settlers reportedly attacked the community, destroying homes and livestock enclosures. Solar panels and surveillance cameras were also damaged and, in some instances, stolen, according to the Jerusalem Governorate.
The Governorate stated that the year-long military closure will prevent the delivery of essential materials needed to rebuild the damaged homes. These materials were scheduled to arrive imminently, following an assessment of the community’s needs conducted in recent days. It is worth noting that several residents and two foreign solidarity activists were injured in a previous settler attack on the community, during which homes were set on fire and vehicles were destroyed.
In a separate incident, Israeli forces intensified security measures at the al-Zaim checkpoint, east of occupied Jerusalem, causing severe traffic congestion and disrupting the movement of Palestinian civilians.
Furthermore, a Palestinian worker was reportedly shot and wounded by Israeli forces near the Qalandiya checkpoint as he attempted to cross the separation wall in the town of al-Ram. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society confirmed that its teams transported a worker with a live bullet wound below the knee to a hospital in Ramallah.
Adding to the escalating tensions, settlers attacked shepherds in the al-Hathroura community, near Khan al-Ahmar, southeast of Jerusalem, chasing them while brandishing weapons. The Jerusalem Governorate asserts that Bedouin communities, stretching from Mukhmas to Wadi al-Nar, are facing systematic attacks originating from approximately 23 settlement outposts established by settlers in the area.
Meanwhile, dozens of settlers continued their incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, under the protection of Israeli police, performing Talmudic rituals within its courtyards. Sources within the Islamic Waqf Department reported that 108 settlers entered Al-Aqsa during the morning incursion period.
In a separate development, Israeli authorities in occupied Jerusalem prevented the holding of a cultural exhibition and issued a demolition order for an inhabited house, further intensifying concerns about the suppression of Palestinian cultural expression and the ongoing displacement of residents.
