Israeli settlers 'hike' through my West Bank village. Next is the violent land grab

Israeli settlers 'hike' through my West Bank village. Next is the violent land grab For decades, my hometown of Qira was a sanctuary of quiet endurance. One of the smallest villages in the occupied West Bank, nestled in the Salfit governorate and tucked away from covetous eyes, it remained relatively shielded from major land confiscations and aggressive incursions throughout the long years of occupation. That protective obscurity is ending. In recent weeks, organised groups of armed Israeli settlers have begun making regular, unauthorised "exploratory hikes" through our village, wandering past our homes, inspecting our ancient Roman water pool and descending into the valley to survey local shrines, assigning them Hebrew names and claiming biblical connections. What may appear to an outside observer as harmless recreational outings is, in fact, a precursor to territorial expansion - a scouting campaign signalling that no Palestinian space is safe. The settlers themselves have said as much: "Wherever the hiker's foot treads," the founder of one hiking group has declared, "there the border will pass." We need look no further than the village of Tell, near Nablus, to see where this trajectory leads. In July, four Palestinians were killed there after a confrontation sparked by one such armed settler "hike", and rampaging settlers then burned homes in nearby villages. Read more: Israeli settlers 'hike' through my West Bank village. Next is the violent land grab