Israeli settlers set Palestinian homes on fire in Jerusalem
Israeli settlers set fire to Palestinian property late on Wednesday in the Khallat al-Sidra Bedouin community, northeast of occupied East Jerusalem.
According to the Palestinian Authority-run Jerusalem Governorate, settlers assaulted community members and torched a number of Palestinian homes.
The attacks come after settlers had blocked the only road leading into the area, restricting the movement of its residents.
In clips circulating online, structures could be seen enveloped by flames as people attempt to put out the fires.
Following the settlers' raid on Khallat al-Sidra, Israeli forces and military vehicles stormed the area.
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The community has faced escalating Israeli violence in the past few days, including the beating of residents and foreign activists, as well as the destruction of homes, vehicles and animal shelters.
Acts of vandalism and the seizure of infrastructure, such as solar panels and surveillance cameras, were also reported.
Israeli forces have also previously forced several foreign activists protecting the community from settler aggression to leave the area.
مستوطنون إرهابيون يضرمون النار في مساكن الأهالي بتجمّع "خلة السدرة" قرب القدس
— موقع عرب 48 (@arab48website) January 28, 2026
للتفاصيل: https://t.co/A7R7UABzzw pic.twitter.com/M6xZny3NNi
Translation: Terrorist settlers set fire to residents' homes in the "Khallet al-Sidra" community near Jerusalem
Settlers also attempted to seize land belonging to the nearby Bedouin community of Ma'azi Jaba', northeast of occupied Jerusalem.
Local sources note that the repeated attacks on Ma'azi Jaba', which is home to around 200 Palestinians, aim to capture land to expand the Adam settlement and connect it to the nearby Benjamin settlement.
Under international law, all settlement construction in an occupied territory is illegal.
Settler attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem have continued for years, often carried out with complete impunity and under the protection of Israeli forces.
Since the start of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, the attacks have escalated, with official data issued by the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission noting that around 4,723 cases of settler violence were recorded during 2025.
More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli troops and settlers in the past two years, including 217 minors.
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