Settlers Force Exhumation of Palestinian Body Near Jenin

In the occupied West Bank near Jenin, Israeli settlers forced a Palestinian family to exhume the body of their 80-year-old relative, Hussein Asasa, from a village cemetery and rebury it elsewhere, shortly after his funeral on Friday. The incident occurred at the Asasa village cemetery, about 300 meters from the recently reestablished Israeli settlement of Sa-Nur.

Hussein Asasa died of natural causes that day and was buried with permits obtained in coordination with Israeli security forces, according to his son, Mohammed Asasa. However, settlers soon arrived, claiming the site belonged to their settlement and demanding the body be removed. Mohammed Asasa said the settlers had already begun digging when the family returned and threatened to use a bulldozer if they did not comply. Under pressure, with Israeli soldiers present, the family completed the exhumation and relocated the body to another cemetery. Video footage verified by witnesses shows the body, wrapped in a white shroud, being carried away as soldiers and settlers observed.

The Israeli military stated it dispatched troops after reports of a confrontation and confiscated digging tools from the settlers to prevent further...