For Palestinian shepherds in the Jordan Valley and Masafer Yatta — a cluster of villages in Palestine’s occupied West Bank — Israeli flags marking expanding illegal settlements and outposts have become inescapable features of the landscape.
As illegal settlers steadily take over Palestinian land and isolate communities that have lived there for generations, some Palestinian families have sold their flocks or stopped using areas they usually use for grazing, while many have altered their daily routines.
Settler attacks have also increased sharply in 2026. Some pastures are no longer considered safe, while others can be reached only when Israeli activists accompany Palestinian shepherds, documenting encounters with illegal settlers and Israeli troops and providing what they call a “protective presence”.




















