Arab truck driver attacked by West Bank settlers who believed he was transporting aid to Gaza

In the late-night hours between May 16 and 17, Ibrahim al-Razm was working the night shift as a truck driver. While driving in the area of Kochav Hashahar in the Binyamin Mountains in the West Bank, al-Razm was attacked by settlers who believed he was transporting humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported. 

On Sunday, Ynet reported that al-Razm remained hospitalized throughout the weekend and continues to receive medical care at the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. As a result of the attack, al-Razm suffered from fractured ribs, a broken nose, and pain throughout his entire body. 

Israeli right-wing settlers attacked al-Razm by throwing stones and ransacking the truck, KAN reported. The settlers arrived at the scene to block humanitarian aid they believed to be en route to the Gaza Strip, setting tires on fire and blocking the truck. The truck, the report noted, was not carrying humanitarian aid to the Strip. His vehicle was instead carrying an unrelated load.

Incident among a string of other attacks 

Such attacks and disruptions have become common as right-wing activists attempt to block humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip, and this incident occurred days after aid trucks heading towards Gaza were ransacked by protesters, Reuters stated. 

Al-Razm, in a statement made to Ynet, said “I am married and a father of three children, and have been working as a truck driver for more than ten years. I have never hurt anyone – and I have no such thoughts.” 

Ynet also stated that his attackers clashed with security forces at the scene, with two officers and a soldier injured as a result. 

Al-Razm, a resident of East Jerusalem, also told Ynet that “he encountered dozens of settlers who blocked my path. They started to take the goods off the truck and burn it, and then the truck as well. They thought it was aid to Gaza, even though I told them the goods were for my work, they took me off the truck and started beating me brutally all over my body.” 

“They only did it because I was Arab,” Al-Razm continued. He also told Ynet that there were soldiers at the scene but were unable to control the settlers. He spoke on his fate, saying, “The truth is, at that moment I saw death. I still can’t believe I got out alive. They could have murdered me, and then I wouldn’t have returned to my family.”