Organizations petition High Court to evict Moshe Sharvit's West Bank outpost amid int'l sanctions

Peace Now and Jordan Valley Activists have filed a petition to the High Court for the eviction of Moshe Sharvit’s outpost following the international sanctions imposed against him, the two organizations announced last week. 

The organizations demand that the state enforce demolition orders against the structures in the illegal outpost, which is named “Moshe’s Farm” or “Emek Tirzah Farm.” 

The organizations charge that since its establishment, the outpost has been a hub of violence and harassment against Palestinian shepherd communities. Peace Now is an Israeli organization dedicated to promoting a two-state solution to solve the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

“Settler violence in these agricultural outposts is not a bug, it’s a feature. The government supports these outposts, nurtures them, and allows them to seize land and expel Palestinian residents from the entire area. The government does nothing to stop these crimes, and it’s time for the court to compel it to enforce the law,” Peace Now asserted. 

Peace Now claims that some Palestinian families were forced to flee their homes due to threats and harassment from the outpost’s residents. 

Recently, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada have imposed sanctions on the farm and its founder, Moshe Sharvit. 

Response to international sanctions

In response to the sanctions, Sharvit told the right-wing news organization, Arutz Sheva – Israel National News, “If Britain has recognized my endeavors, who am I to say anything? When the nations of the world focus on a specific point, it seems that this is a sign that we must take action and increase it.” 

He then added, “Whoever chooses to harm us is committing a personal action, and I believe that this is an anti-Jewish act. These sanctions were imposed not only on me but also on Harel, a soldier who fell heroically for the Land of Israel and the people of Israel.” He is referring to Capt. (res.) Harel Sharvit, his brother, who fell in Gaza.

“Moshe Sharvit repeatedly harassed, threatened, and attacked Palestinian civilians and Israeli human rights defenders in the vicinity of Moshes Farm, an outpost in the West Bank,” the US State Department said in a statement, explaining why Sharvit and his farm have been sanctioned. 

“In October 2023, Sharvit issued a threat against the residents of the Palestinian village of Ein Shibli, and while armed, ordered them to leave their homes; this threat resulted in up to 100 Palestinian civilians fleeing their village in fear for their lives,” the statement added. 

Moshe Sharvit established an agricultural farm in the Jordan Valley, approximately 1.5 kilometers southeast of the Hamra community. In 2021, the Civil Administration issued a demolition order for all the structures built without permits or approved building plans. Despite the orders, the farm continued to expand, and as of 2024, it included a guest lodge for travelers and an event complex, indicating that the outpost makes a profit from tourism. According to its website, the farm can accommodate up to 100 people. 

An organization titled the Jordan Valley Activists group, composed of Israeli volunteers has begun accompanying Palestinian shepherds and documenting attacks against them to have evidence for the police. 

The Jordan Valley Activist group claims it has hundreds of incidents of harassment and violence by the farm residents and has filed dozens of complaints to the police.