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A surge in cattle thefts were reports from Jewish farms located in the Israeli controlled West Bank.
By Aryeh Savir
Tazpit News Agency for
YourJewishNews.com
There has been a considerable increase in the theft of cattle by Arabs from the Israeli farmers of Judea and Samaria.
Early Thursday morning an attempt to steal cattle at Mitzpe Danny, in Benyamin, was thwarted.
The intruders cut through the fences, poisoned a guard dog and removed a second dog from the scene. Residents who noticed the suspicious activity alerted the security forces. After a pursuit, one thief was apprehended, but another one escaped. The police later announced that the suspect had already been released after questioning. They stressed that only one dog had been harmed.
This is the second attempt this week to infiltrate Mitzpe Danny and steal cattle.
Last night ten lambs were stolen at Chavat Maon, south of Hebron. The thieves tried to steal the entire herd, but got away with only the lambs they could carry.
Over the past two weeks there have been several other such incidents. Over the past six months, over 1,000 heads of cattle have been stolen from Jewish farmers.
The Shomer (Guardian) Organization in Yesha told Tazpit News Agency they believe these attacks are not only about cattle, but about control of the land: "These latest incidents serve as further proof that the cattle theft has become a strategic objective for the thieves." Farmers in Judea and Samaria speak of deliberate attacks of Arabs against Jewish farmers, in an attempt to weaken their grasp on their land.
They explain that these attacks are nationalistically motivated. In terms of control, herds mean grassing space, and therefore the theft of cattle also brings to the diminishing grasp of the farmers on their land. Many of the farmers do not make a living off their farming and agriculture, but cling to their fields with the understanding that their actions ensure that the Jewish owned land remains in Jewish hands.