In early April, Thaabet Maslam was attacked by Israeli settlers while outside his home with three others in the small hamlet of Khirbet al-Marajim, about halfway between Jerusalem and Nablus.

In security camera footage, Maslam can be seen standing with his phone out, attempting to film three men who had arrived there, one of whom is armed with a gun. When the armed settler snatches the phone away, Maslam grabs it back and a minor scuffle ensues, with both sides swinging sticks at each other for a few seconds. The man with a gun points it at the Palestinians and then quickly retreats with his two companions.

The IDF responded to the incident, saying that “a report was received of Israeli civilians who attacked Palestinians in the area. A local security coordinator – Ravshatz – who was nearby was dispatched and conducted a search, but found no evidence.”

In terms of settler violence, the incident is relatively tame, especially as compared to the severe beatings, arson attacks and deadly shootings carried out by Israelis against Palestinians in the West Bank, which have grown more numerous and brazen in recent months.

But unlike other violent encounters, the one involving Maslam took place in an area the Israel Defense Force had declared a closed military zone, meaning entry is prohibited to anyone other than soldiers or residents.

Ostensibly designed to prevent friction between Palestinians and Israelis, critics say the entry bans are often selectively enforced against Israeli activists seeking to protect locals from violent settlers, leaving Palestinians exposed to continued harassment and worse. According to Palestinians and activists, the situation has already prompted dozens of families to leave the area.

“Settlers are allowed to enter the military zone, but activists are not,” Maslam told The Times of Israel.

Yesterday in Marajam near Duma, settlers ATTACKED Palestinians inside a closed military zone ???? Advertisement if(typeof rgb_remove_toi_dfp_banner != "function" || !rgb_remove_toi_dfp_banner("#336x280_Middle_1")){ window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; tude.cmd.push(function() { if(navigator.userAgent.indexOf("rgbmedia-app") > -1){ tude.setDeviceType("mobile"); } tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { divId: '336x280_Middle_1', baseDivId: '336x280_Middle_1', } ]); }); } It was proclaimed by the Army on Monday but enforced only ob activists, while settlers keep herding their cattle near the Palestinian homes, harassing and attacking them. pic.twitter.com/DMx6iINkhM — Herd of Justice (@JustHerds) April 9, 2026

Yesterday in Marajam near Duma, settlers ATTACKED Palestinians inside a closed military zone ????

It was proclaimed by the Army on Monday but enforced only ob activists, while settlers keep herding their cattle near the Palestinian homes, harassing and attacking them. pic.twitter.com/DMx6iINkhM

— Herd of Justice (@JustHerds) April 9, 2026

Closed military zone orders are generally issued on an ad-hoc basis, and usually for a limited period of time. In the case of the closed zone around Khirbet al-Marajim, just south of the Palestinian town of Duma, the order has been in place since March, and earlier this month the army made the unusual move of extending it until April 2027.

The IDF said in response that a closed military zone order had been imposed in the area of the village of Duma due to a high number of friction incidents and repeated disturbances in the area.

The statement added that, “As a rule, the IDF enforces the closed military zone order equally against anyone who violates it. The purpose of the enforcement is to maintain order and prevent friction in the area.”

A collection of fewer than a dozen........

© The Times of Israel