Settlers Establish Trailers on Unclaimed Land in Hebron, West Bank

New Israeli Settler Outpost Established in Hebron's Tel Rumeida

A new Israeli settler outpost has been established in the Tel Rumeida neighborhood of the West Bank city of Hebron. Settlers have set up trailers on land near the border of the city, which is under Palestinian Authority control, while the other side of the area is under full Israeli control. The site, located west of the Jewish cemetery and between a mosque and a Palestinian girls' school, had never previously had an Israeli settler presence.

According to the original map attached to the 1997 Hebron Agreement, signed by then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the land is within Palestinian Authority control. However, later maps, including those from the IDF Civil Administration, show the land as part of the Israeli-controlled area. The army has not provided any explanation for this change or responded to questions about the reclassification.

The IDF Civil Administration stated that "Construction elements were placed without receiving permits from authorities and in contravention of the law. Law enforcement will be carried out according to an operational assessment of the situation and directives from the political leadership." They maintain that the trailers are within territory under Israeli control.

Hagit Ofran, the director of the Settlement Watch project at Peace Now, noted that according to the original Hebron Agreement map, the area is under the Palestinian Authority. However, she added that maps from the year 2000 began showing the area as part of the H2 Israeli-military controlled zone. Attempts by Haaretz to get answers from the army about the change were unsuccessful.

Issa Amro, a Palestinian activist and resident of Tel Rumeida, reported that in addition to the trailers, settlers installed an iron gate on the road leading to both the school and the new structures. He warned that this could affect the freedom of movement for students.

Peace Now described the developments as part of a broader strategy to entrench an isolated settler presence inside dense Palestinian areas. A representative of the organization stated, "The settlements in Hebron are a taste of apartheid in the territories." They further emphasized, "The settlements in Hebron are the essence of apartheid in the West Bank, and the last thing the city needs is more settlements and millions of shekels invested for the benefit of a handful of extremist settlers."

The organization urged the government to allow Palestinians to live normal lives in the largest Palestinian city in the southern West Bank and to prevent continued friction with the settlers. They argued that the new settlement is bad for both security and residents.

In March 2025, settlers entered the home of the Tamimi family, a Palestinian household in the same neighborhood, while the family was out attending an iftar meal during Ramadan. Only after intervention by the Civil Administration did the settlers allow the family to return, limited to the basement only, while settlers remained upstairs. The situation has remained unchanged since then.

While the settlers claim they purchased part of the house, the family says it belongs to their late father, and that none of the heirs to the home sold the property. Army officials have said that the settlers claim to have bought only part of the building.

An archaeological excavation was also launched about two months ago in Tel Rumeida by the Civil Administration's Archaeology Unit. The dig is taking place on land reportedly privately owned by Palestinians and is expected to be used to expand a settler-operated tourism site in the area. This development has raised concerns among local residents and activists about the ongoing encroachment on Palestinian land and the implications for the region's stability.