Full Breakdown
Settlers Force Exhumation of Palestinian Father’s Body Near Sa-Nur Settlement Amid Rising West Bank Violence
5/10/2026, 12:35:48 AM
Forced Exhumation Near Sa-Nur Settlement
On 9 May 2026, Israeli settlers from the newly re-established Sa-Nur outpost in the northern West Bank forced a Palestinian family to dig up the freshly buried body of 80-year-old Hussein Asasa. The burial, conducted in the village of al-Asaasa with Israeli military permits, was interrupted when settlers arrived with shovels, claimed the grave lay too close to the settlement, and threatened to use a bulldozer. Under their pressure, the family exhumed the corpse and reburied it in a nearby village while Israeli soldiers stood by.
Background & Context
Sa-Nur, evacuated in 2005 and reopened in 2025, is part of a broader expansion of Israeli settlements that the international community regards as illegal under international law. Since the Gaza war began in October 2023, settler-related assaults in the occupied Palestinian territories have increased sharply. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) recorded 867 incidents of “nationalistic crime and settler violence” in 2025, up from 682 in 2024. IDF Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth has described the near-daily phenomenon as “Jewish terrorism.”
Key Figures & Groups
- Hussein Asasa – deceased Palestinian resident of al-Asaasa.
- Mohammed Asasa – son, who coordinated the burial permits.
- Sa-Nur settlers – civilian Israeli residents who initiated the exhumation.
- IDF – Israeli military forces present at the cemetery.
- Ajith Sunghay – head of the UN Human Rights Office for the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
- Amnesty International – human-rights organization monitoring settlement expansion.
- Wafa – Palestinian Authority news agency reporting on the incident and related attacks.
Data & Statistics
- 867 settler-related incidents reported in 2025 (vs. 682 in 2024).
- At least 50 Palestinians killed by settlers since October 2023, including 15 in 2026.
- Four Palestinians wounded in a separate clash east of Hebron.
- A Palestinian man and his young son were hospitalized after settlers attacked them with sharp instruments in Khirbet Shuweika, leaving the boy with a head wound and the father with a facial gash.
Official Statements & Responses
The IDF issued a statement condemning any act that harms public order, the rule of law, and the dignity of the living and the dead, and said troops confiscated the settlers’ digging tools to prevent further friction. The army announced an internal investigation into the coordination of the funeral and the incident. The UN Human Rights Office called the episode “appalling and emblematic of the dehumanisation of Palestinians.” Amnesty International warned that global impunity fuels Israel’s illegal annexation efforts.
Criticism & Opposition
Palestinian sources allege that soldiers pressured the Asasa family to relocate the body, contradicting the IDF’s claim of non-intervention. Human-rights groups have criticised the IDF for frequently standing by during settler attacks and for the low rate of prosecutions. The term “Jewish terrorism,” used by Maj. Gen. Bluth, reflects internal military concern over the pattern of violence.
On-the-Ground Reports
Mohammed Asasa recounted that settlers threatened to use a bulldozer and that they threw stones as the family moved the body. Video footage shows the family carrying the wrapped corpse while soldiers and settlers watch. In the Hebron-area attack, Wafa reported that several settlers wielded sharp instruments and shattered the victims’ car windows.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The IDF maintains that it did not instruct the family to rebury the father, whereas Palestinian witnesses claim the military pressured the family. The final burial location of Hussein Asasa remains unspecified. Data on prosecutions for the May 9 incident is absent, and the broader pattern of settler violence lacks comprehensive legal follow-up.
Verbatim Quotes
- “condemns any attempt to act in a manner that harms public order, the rule of law, and the dignity of the living and the dead.” — IDF spokesperson
- “This is appalling and emblematic of the dehumanisation of Palestinians that we see unfolding across the OPT (Occupied Palestinian Territories). It spares no one, dead or alive.” — Ajith Sunghay, UN Human Rights Office
- “Jewish terrorism.” — Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, IDF Central Command chief
- “They said the land was for settlement and that burial was not allowed. We told them that this is the village’s cemetery, not part of the settlement,” — Mohammed Asasa
- “We found that they [the settlers] already dug the grave and reached the body,” — Hussein Asasa (as reported by family)
- “confiscated digging tools from the Israelis and remained at the location to prevent further friction.” — IDF statement
What’s Next
The IDF’s announced investigation will determine whether procedural failures occurred. International bodies, including the UN and Amnesty International, have called for accountability measures. Monitoring groups expect continued scrutiny of settler activity as the Israeli government advances settlement construction near Sa-Nur.
