Settler assault on the village of Deir Jarir

On December 25, several incidents were carried out by violent settlers in Deir Jarir, north of the city of Ramallah.

An Israeli settler has rammed an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) into a Palestinian man, while he was kneeling in prayer on the side of a road. Footage circulated by Palestinian media outlets on Thursday showed the settler, carrying a rifle, driving directly into the praying man. The Palestinian was knocked to the ground and left lying injured as the settler dismounted, shouted at him, and ordered him to leave the area before driving away. Settler identified as Israeli military reservist.

At least five settlers threw stones and fired a gun inside Deir Jarir earlier in the day, wounding a young Palestinian man. Reports of additional injuries were still being examined.

IDF statement:

The IDF confirmed Thursday that the Israeli seen in the footage was a reserve soldier, and said that his weapon was confiscated and his service suspended following the incident. An initial military probe also found that the same reservist had earlier opened fire inside the village, while dressed in civilian clothes. The incidents were under investigation and will be transferred to the relevant authorities in accordance with the findings. The military stated that it strongly condemns “all manifestations of violence” and stressed that its soldiers and commanders are required to act in accordance with the IDF code of ethics.On Friday, police said he had been arrested on Thursday night and placed under house arrest for five days.

Aftermath:

Majdi Abu Mokho, the father of the injured Palestinian by ATV, said his son suffered pain in both legs after being struck. He identified the assailant as a settler, who had set up an outpost near the village and regularly provoked residents by blocking roads and grazing livestock nearby.

Broader context:

Deir Jarir is a Palestinian town in the central West Bank, located in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate. It lies northeast of Ramallah, roughly 13–15 km from the city center. The town is mostly agricultural, with surrounding hills and farmland. It is part of the area under Palestinian Authority administration (Area B and C mix).