The United States has imposed sanctions against three additional Israeli settlers and, notably, two farming outposts in response to the ongoing violent displacement of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. This move is part of a joint effort by Washington and London to address the escalating tensions in the region.

Fares Samamreh, a Palestinian sheep farmer residing in the sun-drenched slopes of the South Hebron Hills in the occupied West Bank, finds himself embroiled in a conflict with his neighbor, Israeli settler Yinon Levy. While Fares does not possess a firearm, he finds support from a formidable ally—the global superpower of the United States. Yet, despite this backing, Fares continues to struggle against the encroachment on his land.

“Yinon Levy came here three years ago and began causing trouble,” Fares explained, his head wrapped in a piece of white cotton, his gaze narrowed against the harsh sunlight. “Prior to the war in Gaza, it was the usual disturbances; they would arrive with drones. However, a few days after 7 October, the situation intensified. They all carried guns and began harassing us day and night. I have young children—some as young as four or five years old.”

Fares recounted that Yinon was part of a cohort of nearby Israeli settlers who frequently came to intimidate his sheep using their dogs and weapons. He alleged that they even resorted to assaulting his family on occasion.

“They destroyed water tanks, closed down roads, they fire at the sheep,” he recounted. “He told my wife if we didn’t leave here, we’d all be killed.”

According to Fares, when his wife responded with strong language, Yinon Levy struck her with the butt of his gun.

Following this incident, Fares and his family departed from their village of Zanuta. Activists report that this departure is one of four instances in which communities surrounding the settler’s farm have been deserted by their inhabitants.

Yinon has refuted allegations of engaging in violence against Palestinians in the vicinity and claimed not to have owned a firearm until recently.

Despite his denial, both the US and the UK have imposed sanctions against him.

The pathway leading to Yinon’s farm resembles a scene from a storybook, with its winding trail ascending a steep hill, surrounded by slopes and valleys stretching into the distance.

Atop the hill sits a spacious bungalow adjacent to a sizable shed, where the sounds of bleating sheep mingle with the tunes of pop music emanating from a radio.

“We’re safeguarding these lands to ensure they remain under Jewish ownership,” Yinon stated. “When there is a Jewish presence, then there is no Arab presence. We keep a watchful eye on the land, ensuring that no unauthorized construction takes place.”

Most countries consider the settlements, established on land seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East War, to be illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this. The settler outposts are also deemed illegal under Israeli law.

The UK accused Yinon and another individual of “using physical aggression, threatening families at gunpoint, and destroying property as part of a targeted and calculated effort to displace Palestinian communities.”

Yinon refuted the allegations, asserting that the Israeli government supported his actions.