A shepherd from Beit Anot in the Hebron hills went out Wednesday morning to the grazing lands and noticed Arab poachers from the village of Halhul unloading traps from a pickup truck, intending to hunt songbirds.
The shepherd approached them and began documenting their actions while reporting to security forces. In response, the hunters fled back toward Halhul, leaving open traps in the field as well as several birds already caught.
Residents of the area have complained of poaching by Arabs from neighboring villages for years, a phenomenon they claim is barely dealt with by police. The farmers in the area say that Israeli farming has prevented poaching and that they actively work to protect the areas around the farms as well.
This act of poaching is also a manifestation of terrorism. It transcends being merely a local offense and aims to instill fear and inflict harm upon Israel, and it can no longer be overlooked. As residents in this report stated, “Step by step we are succeeding in restoring Jewish sovereignty to the area, and in correcting the lawlessness that prevailed in the field for years. It is time for the government of Israel to recognize the settlements as having first‑rate security and strategic value.”
Source:
Watch: Shepherd catches illegal hunters red-handed, by Israel National News, December 17, 2025