Wave of Livestock Poisoning Hits West Bank Farms and Pastures
A rising wave of coordinated livestock and water poisoning incidents across West Bank farms and pastures has killed dozens of animals, prompting farmers to demand deeper Shin Bet intervention.
A new wave of agricultural and ecological terror has emerged across the hills and farms of the West Bank, shifting from familiar arson tactics to the systematic poisoning of livestock and water sources. According to data compiled since June 2025, at least 12 distinct poisoning incidents have been documented in pasturelands, targeting cattle, sheep, goats, and shepherd dogs.
The methods have grown increasingly diverse and lethal. Perpetrators use poisoned dates, laced pita bread left in grazing areas, and chemical agents dumped into cisterns. In May alone, more than ten water cisterns were poisoned simultaneously. Overall, documented incidents have resulted in the deaths of 12 head of livestock—including two cows, three goats, and seven sheep—along with three shepherd dogs. At least 20 additional animals have suffered severe poisoning symptoms and survived, largely due to the vigilance of shepherds and rapid veterinary intervention.
The frequency of these attacks is escalating sharply, with six of the 12 recorded incidents occurring since the beginning of July. On July 7, two sheep died and 15 others suffered severe symptoms. On August 18, a water cistern was poisoned alongside scattered dates and pita bread, killing a sheep and three shepherd dogs. The most recent incident was recorded on September 27.
Behind each entry on the casualty list is a herd and a family trying to earn a living. Evyatar Karo, a father of seven living at the Metzad Yehuda farm, recalls the first poisoning incident he encountered about a year ago. After spotting two Palestinians leaving a nearby village and walking through the pasture, he reported the movement to the military. Within an hour, he brought his herd to the same area.
"Suddenly we saw goats starting to foam at the mouth and convulse," Karo recounts. "At first, we didn't understand what it was. We started sending photos to figure out what was happening, and we were told it was a poisoning reaction." He quickly moved the herd away and administered an emergency substance obtained from a neighboring farm that neutralizes stomach activity, saving some of the goats while others perished.
At the scene, investigators found poisoned dates filled with a blue chemical substance. Nature and Parks Authority inspectors identified the material as extremely hazardous, warning that the poison ripples through the food chain, killing wildlife such as deer and scavenging vultures that feed on carcasses. Karo reports losing 20 out of approximately 100 goats to similar subsequent attacks involving dates, water bottles, and laced pitas.
The phenomenon extends across the region. In the Shilo area, a settler identified only as A. points to five distinct flashpoints around the villages of Al-Mughayyir and Abu Falah where livestock have died. "There is not a point where sheep or goats haven't died," he says, noting a recent spike featuring three poisonings in consecutive days.
Security forces routinely respond to these incidents, deploying trackers and forensic teams to collect evidence such as tainted dates for laboratory analysis. However, farmers express frustration over the limited deterrence. Local residents note that the poison used is often a restricted rodenticide legally available in local pharmacies across the Palestinian Authority. While initial arrests following Karo's first incident yielded no sustained prosecutions due to evidentiary gaps, farmers argue that halting the campaign requires deeper intervention, including intelligence operations by the Shin Bet to dismantle the supply chains and handlers behind the attacks.
In the meantime, shepherds have adapted their daily routines. They constantly sweep pastures for bait before letting herds graze, and test cistern water by allowing a single sheep to drink first while waiting to ensure no adverse reaction occurs. Farmers view the poisonings not merely as criminal acts of vandalism, but as a systematic strategic effort to drive out herds and contest control over open spaces in the West Bank.
