A recent incident involving Palestinian activist Issa Amro has garnered attention following reports of a raid on his home by Israeli soldiers in Hebron, located in the West Bank. Amro, who co-founded the non-violent activist organisation Youth Against Settlements, shared several videos on social media depicting confrontations with Israeli military personnel and a group of settlers who reportedly forced entry into his property.
Amro disclosed details of the raid on X, stating, “The soldiers raided my house today; they wanted revenge from me for participating in the BBC documentary ‘The Settlers’. After the army left, the settlers raided my house, they injured one activist and cut the tree, they stole tools and the garbage containers.” This attack seems to follow his appearance in a documentary that explored the realities of Israeli settlers in the West Bank, raising further concerns over the security of activists in the region.
The area where Amro resides, Hebron, is home to approximately 35,000 Palestinians and about 700 Israeli settlers, who are under the protection of the Israeli military. The documentary, which aired in April on BBC Two, features Amro guiding journalist Louis Theroux through the complexities of life in this contested area, highlighting the tensions that often arise between local Palestinians and settlers. In a conversation during the film, Amro expressed a shared sentiment that, “By international law, the settlements are illegal,” and articulated the perception that settlers do not recognise Palestinians as “equal human beings who deserve the same rights”.
In one of the videos posted by Amro, he can be seen challenging masked soldiers at his home, questioning their decision to cover their faces. A soldier replies cryptically, “You know exactly why.” This has further amplified concerns about the treatment of activists and the environment they operate in.
Theroux has also commented on the unfolding situation, stating on X, “@Issaamro who featured in The Settlers has posted videos of his latest harassment by settlers and soldiers. Our team has been in regular contact with him since the documentary and over the last 24 hours. We are continuing to monitor the situation."
Amro has emerged as a notable figure in the West Bank, recognised not only for his activism with Youth Against Settlements—an organisation dedicated to the non-violent struggle against the expansion of illegal settlements—but also as a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Israeli Defence Forces have been approached for comment regarding the incident, which highlights the ongoing complexities and tensions surrounding Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the challenges facing activists like Amro in advocating for Palestinian rights. International law regards Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as illegal, a stance that has been reiterated by the United Nations Security Council, declaring that such settlements have “no legal validity, constituting a flagrant violation under international law.”
Source: Noah Wire Services