West Bank Experiences Widespread Settler Activity, Injuries, and Property Damage

Recent days have witnessed a series of incidents across the occupied West Bank, involving Israeli settlers and Palestinians, resulting in injuries, arson, and extensive property damage. These events have included attacks on homes, vehicles, and religious sites. The incidents occurred amidst a broader escalation of violence in the region since October 2023 and during the ongoing olive harvest season. Israeli military and political figures have condemned the actions, while Palestinian officials and human rights organizations have called for greater accountability and protection for Palestinians.

Overview of Recent Incidents

Attacks by Israeli settlers were reported across numerous Palestinian communities from Saturday night into Sunday, with additional incidents documented on Tuesday. These events primarily involved arson, physical assaults, and property vandalism.

Incidents were documented in at least six communities, including Silat ad-Dhahr, al-Fandaqumiya, Jalud, Salfit, Masafer Yatta, and the Jordan Valley. Similar events were reported in Qaryout, Haris, Rawabi, and Tuqou. These attacks notably occurred during the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

On Tuesday, incidents were reported in the northern West Bank. These included an attack on a Palestinian warehouse in Beit Lid, with vehicles set on fire, and tents observed ablaze in the Bedouin village of Deir Sharaf. Footage from Tuesday depicted masked individuals on a hillside east of Tulkarm. An industrial estate and Bedouin structures near Beit Lid were also reportedly assaulted by a group of masked individuals, during which several trucks were set on fire.

Reported Damages and Injuries

Reports indicate that homes and vehicles were set ablaze in multiple locations, including al-Fandaqumiya and south of Jenin. In al-Fandaqumiya, windows of other residences were also smashed.

Significant damage was reported at religious sites:

• In Jalud, a medical center was reportedly torched, and Hebrew graffiti was found on a local mosque.
• Hamida Mosque near Deir Istiya also reportedly sustained damage, with charred furniture and carpet found outside its entrance, and graffiti on an exterior wall.
• Witnesses in Jalud reported seeing a four-wheel-drive vehicle reduced to a charred shell.

Several Palestinians sustained injuries across various incidents, some requiring hospitalization.

On Sunday, a 45-year-old man sustained a gunshot wound to the foot in Deir al-Hatab, near Nablus. Another 47-year-old Palestinian man was assaulted in Jabal al-Arma in Beita. At least five individuals were wounded during the Saturday night assaults. In Jalud, at least three Palestinians sustained head wounds from beatings and were hospitalized. In Masafer Yatta, two Palestinians were wounded, and three were arrested. A resident in Seilat al-Dahr was reportedly beaten.

In Qaryout and Jalud, residents were injured during raids involving approximately 100 masked settlers, who reportedly burned at least five cars and vandalized other vehicles, including a fire engine. Separately, two Palestinians were reportedly shot and wounded by Israeli forces at the Jabara checkpoint south of Tulkarem on Saturday.

Earlier incidents included assaults in Beita, near Nablus, where masked individuals reportedly used clubs to assault local Palestinians, volunteer paramedics, a Reuters news agency photographer, and a security adviser. A 77-year-old Israeli civilian participating in the harvest was also photographed with facial injuries. A Red Crescent volunteer assisting the journalist sustained a head injury from a rock. Additionally, 13-year-old Aysam Mualla from Beita reportedly passed away after inhaling tear gas, reported to have been fired by the IDF, during olive picking last month.

Official Responses and Condemnations

Following the incidents, several Israeli and Palestinian officials issued condemnations and statements.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that troops were deployed to scenes of confrontation, using riot dispersal means and apprehending several Israeli civilians. The IDF also stated that soldiers were subsequently attacked by settlers nearby, resulting in damage to their vehicle. Israeli police confirmed the arrest of four suspects in one incident, though three were later reportedly released. The Israeli military indicated it responded to Israeli civilians carrying out "arson against structures and property, as well as engaging in disturbances."

"The military stated it condemns all forms of violence and is committed to maintaining security and public order."

In one instance, witnesses told The Guardian that Israeli troops and police were present on the outskirts of villages but did not stop attacks.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog described the events as "shocking and serious," attributing them to "a handful of violent and dangerous individuals" and stating such violence "crosses a red line." Major-General Avi Bluth, head of the IDF Central Command, condemned the attacks, stating they "undermine the stability of the security situation." He described violent acts by "anarchist fringe youth" as "unacceptable and extremely serious" and requiring firm handling, adding that the directive to IDF soldiers is clear: "do not stand idly by and do everything in your power to prevent any act of nationalist crime." Israel's chief of staff also described the violence as "a red line" and pledged "decisive action."

Within Israel, activist Martin Goldberg described the attacks as "extremely major," while settler Amichai Luria characterized incidents as "rare occasions" of "misbehavior," stating a belief that most Arabs would align with groups like Hamas or Hezbollah, and expressing a need for preparedness. Yair Golan, leader of Israel’s centre-left Democrats, condemned the violence.

Palestinian Authority Minister Muayyad Shaaban, head of the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, stated that the attacks constituted a campaign to establish "a hostile environment through intimidation and terror." The Palestinian presidency condemned Israeli settlement decisions as a "grave escalation and a flagrant violation of international law" that constitutes "de facto annexation."

The UN's Emergency Relief Co-ordinator, Tom Fletcher, stated that "The failure to prevent or punish such attacks is inconsistent with international law." Amnesty International commented that the expansion of settlements and "state-backed settler violence" reflects "the international community's catastrophic failure to take decisive action."

Context and Rising Tensions

These incidents occurred during the olive harvest season, a period when Palestinians access their agricultural lands. The overnight attacks from Saturday into Sunday followed the death of 18-year-old Israeli settler Yehuda Sherman, who was killed in a collision with a Palestinian vehicle. Israeli police are investigating claims from settlers that the collision was intentional.

The United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that October marked the highest number of violent attacks by settlers since the organization began collecting data nearly 20 years prior. The agency documented over 260 Israeli settler attacks in October, resulting in casualties, property damage, or both, averaging eight incidents daily.

• During the current olive harvest, OCHA has recorded approximately 150 attacks, leading to injuries for over 140 Palestinians and the vandalism of more than 4,200 trees and saplings across 77 villages.
• Since the beginning of the year, approximately 1,500 settler attacks have been documented.
• OCHA also reports that 25 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli settlers and soldiers this year as of March 15.
• Separately, the UN reported that Israeli forces and settlers have killed over 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 2023.
• Palestinians have reportedly killed 19 Israeli civilians during the same period.

Human rights organizations indicate that settler actions against Palestinians have intensified since the commencement of the Gaza War in 2023 following the October 7 Hamas attacks. The UN reports that over 3,200 Palestinians have been displaced due to settler actions and restrictions since October 2023. The Israeli human rights organization Yesh Din's research found that over 93% of police investigations into Israeli offenses against Palestinians in the West Bank concluded without charges being filed.

The Israeli government is proceeding with new settlement constructions in the occupied West Bank. Last month, Israel's security cabinet approved measures allowing the government to designate large areas of the occupied West Bank as "state property" if Palestinians cannot provide ownership documentation. The government has authorized settlement expansion and legalized some unauthorized outposts.

Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, housing approximately 700,000 Jewish residents alongside an estimated 3.3 million Palestinians, are considered illegal under international law by many, though Israel disputes this view.

In 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel's continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and should conclude "as rapidly as possible," citing settlement construction as a violation of international law.

Additional factors contributing to the context include National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's distribution of over 100,000 weapons to civilian security squads, including in West Bank settlements. Last year, Defence Minister Israel Katz reportedly banned the use of administrative detention for Jewish settlers in the West Bank, against the advice of Israel's national security agency; the Israeli army has now requested Katz reinstate this power. Administrative detention continues to be applied to Palestinians. The Israeli army is also involved in a legal and political controversy regarding leaked video footage allegedly depicting the abuse of Palestinian detainees, which has created friction between ultranationalist politicians and security forces.