Security camera footage has captured a violent assault by dozens of masked and armed individuals on a plant nursery in the occupied West Bank, leaving a 67-year-old Palestinian man with serious injuries.
Details of the Violent Assault
The incident occurred on Thursday in the village of Deir Sharaf, located in the northern West Bank. According to witnesses and video obtained by The Associated Press, a large group of men, their faces covered and mostly dressed in black, attacked the facility. The assailants were armed with sticks.
The victim, identified as Basim Saleh Yassin, was beaten as he attempted to flee. Family members who own the German-Palestinian run nursery stated that Yassin is deaf and could not hear warnings from co-workers to escape. He is now hospitalised with broken bones in his hand and injuries to his face, chest, and back.
The video evidence shows Yassin running from the mob before falling to the ground. He is then seen being kicked and struck with what appears to be a stick. The attack continues as he kneels, with one assailant kicking him in the head before the group departs, leaving him lying on the pavement.
Context and Official Responses
This attack is reported to be the third assault on the nursery within a year. A family member disclosed that a previous incident in September caused over $600,000 in damage to offices and facilities. The violence coincides with a broader, alarming rise in settler attacks across the West Bank, which intensified during the Palestinian olive harvest season last autumn.
In response to the incident, the Israeli military stated it dispatched soldiers to the nearby Shavei Shomron junction after reports of masked Israelis vandalising property. Three suspects were apprehended and transferred to police for questioning. The army added that security forces condemn all forms of violence.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously labelled perpetrators of such violence "a handful of extremists" and urged law enforcement to act. However, Palestinian communities and human rights groups argue these attacks are a widespread, daily phenomenon, far exceeding the actions of a few isolated individuals.
Aftermath and Ongoing Tensions
Beyond the physical assault on Yassin, the attackers also burned and destroyed four cars at the nursery site. The witnesses, who are members of the owning family, spoke on condition of anonymity due to fears of reprisal, underscoring the climate of intimidation.
The persistent violence poses significant challenges to stability in the territory and continues to draw international concern. This latest brutal episode serves as a stark example of the tensions and security dilemmas prevalent in the occupied West Bank.
