Thousands of Israeli settlers gathered at al-Auja spring in the occupied West Bank during the Jewish festival of Passover, celebrating in areas from which Palestinian families had recently been forcibly displaced. Videos circulating online showed settlers picnicking and swimming in natural pools once used by Palestinians, with participants praising the so-called hilltop youth—young settlers accused of violent campaigns that have driven out dozens of Palestinian communities since 2023. The United Nations reported that 1,727 Palestinians from 36 West Bank communities were displaced in the first three months of 2026 due to settler violence and access restrictions.
Allegra Pacheco of the West Bank Protection Consortium described the videos as potential evidence of settlers celebrating the intentional use of violence to forcibly displace Palestinians, calling it a serious violation of international law. Displaced residents such as Haitham al-Zayed and Muhammad recounted systematic attacks, livestock theft, and home raids that forced their families to flee. Settler groups have reportedly expanded their activities into areas under partial or full Palestinian administrative control, reflecting what observers described as a hardening of settler ideology.
The UN and humanitarian organizations warned that the escalation of settler violence, including killings and public incitement, signals growing impunity and raises concerns of further mass displacement across the West Bank.
Share Jordan Valley, Occupied West Bank – Haitham al-Zayed, 24, says his fondest memories as a child were spent swimming in al-Auja’s lush pools. “You’d always find someone there during hot days. Everyone went there to cool down,” he said. Three mont
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