"Risk of Ethnic Cleansing of the Ras al-Ein and Ma’arajat Communities” is the title of the letter addressed to the Chief of Staff and additional officials, including the Head of Central Command, the Jordan Valley Brigade Commander, the head of the Civil Administration, Military Advocate General Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. The letter, sent today, states:

"We, the group “Looking the Occupation in the Eye” and other human rights activists, have been maintaining a protective presence in the Bedouin communities of Ras al-Ein and Ma’arajat in the Uja area continuously for about a year and a half, at the invitation of the communities. Since the establishment of the illegal outpost adjacent to the community of Ras al-Ein, attempts to expel the residents have increased. As a result, we are forced to maintain a 24/7 protective presence there in an effort to at least somewhat shield the community members from the local terror group and to slow the process of ethnic cleansing taking place in the West Bank. Unfortunately, the army and the police forces are also taking part in these expulsion efforts.

"We have already written many letters in the past and have approached all relevant authorities hundreds of times. But regrettably, the direction is clear, and the goal of ethnic cleansing in the area is closer than ever to being achieved. We could present you with dozens of testimonies and extensive documentation of the injustices of the occupation in this region, but we believe that is unnecessary, as we are certain you are aware of what is happening under your command.

"Nonetheless, we wish to alert you that in these days — particularly under the cover of the war in Gaza and Iran — settlers from the illegal outposts in the area are trying to complete the mission and carry out full ethnic cleansing in this region. These attempts include:

+ Daily and threatening incursions into the Bedouin communities in the area, including entering residents’ homes.

+ Theft of property and sabotage of community infrastructure (e.g., electricity and water lines).

+ Efforts to restrict the activities of human rights activists on-site, and even to expel them under false pretenses.

+ Curfews and the closure of stores on Auja’s main street as collective punishment — an illegal action.

+ Repeated efforts to establish new illegal outposts in the Auja area, including on lands registered as private and within the boundaries of the Ras al-Ain community.

"We possess extensive and daily documentation of all the above injustices and many other acts of harassment.

"As law-abiding citizens, we feel obligated to inform you of what is happening under your watch. Additionally, we demand that the appropriate orders be given to your subordinates on the ground so that the ethnic cleansing in the area is immediately halted. If you do not act to prevent the ethnic cleansing of these communities and other Palestinian communities in similar situations across Area C in the West Bank, at the very least you — and the rest of the recipients of this letter — will not be able to say that you didn’t know."