The poisoning terror campaign is striking Judea and Samaria again. For the second time in the past week, a terrorist cell from the village of al-Mu’ayyir in the Binyamin region infiltrated the grazing lands of a ranch near Route Alon on Sunday. The Islamists spread lethal poison hidden inside water troughs placed throughout the grazing area. The shepherds, who arrived to water their herd as they do every day, were horrified to discover that some of the goats that drank from the water immediately began showing severe poisoning symptoms—foaming at the mouth and convulsing.
Three goats have died so far from the severe poisoning, and the ranch is trying to save additional animals in critical condition. Residents from nearby ranches rushed to the scene to provide emergency veterinary care and administer antidote medications to the animals. But when the rescuers arrived, they were attacked with stones by dozens of Islamic rioters from the village who had been lying in wait nearby. The rioters charged at the shepherds and residents, trying to disrupt the herd rescue operations.
Israeli forces rushed to the scene, pushed the rioters back toward the village, and launched extensive searches in the area to locate the poisoning cell. The village reported three rioters wounded by security forces’ fire while participating in the attack on the shepherds. This is the second poisoning attack on the grazing lands of ranches near Route Alon in the past week, and the tenth since the beginning of the year. Ranchers are pointing with concern to the boldness of the cell, which has not yet been caught, and warn that the established pattern could cost human lives.