Palestinian community forced to evacuate Ein Samia - UNOCHA

An Israeli policeman checks the damage in a Palestinian house which Palestinians say was attacked by Israeli settlers near Ramallah, in the West Bank, March 26, 2023

A Palestinian community in Ein Samia has been evacuated on Monday to make room for settlers, according to a report by the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).

Members of a Palestinian shepherding community in Ein Samia in the Ramallah district of the West Bank have begun dismantling their homes and leaving.

Residents said they are being forced to leave due to the violence from settlers; Ein Samia was home to 178 people, including 78 children.

“Not leaving by choice”

Acting Humanitarian Coordinator Yvonne Halle claimed: “These families are not leaving by choice; the Israeli authorities have repeatedly destroyed houses and other buildings they own and threatened to destroy their only school.”

She added: “At the same time, the available grazing land has dwindled due to the expansion of settlements. Both children and adults have experienced settler violence.”

Illustrative image of a United Nations flag. (credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Illustrative image of a United Nations flag. (credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Under international humanitarian law, the Israeli government is required to protect the human rights of Palestinians located in the West Bank.

According to the UNOCHA, several communities have been displaced under similar circumstances, with claims of just under 200 being evicted since last year.

The UNOCHA has cited repeated demolitions, expansion of settlements, loss of access to grazing areas, settler violence and raising concerns over a coercive environment.

Humanitarian agencies are currently assessing the needs of the community and will continue to provide them with assistance.