Since October 7, an average of four incidents of violence against settlers have occurred every day in the occupied West Bank.
Earlier this week, in a recurring pattern of violence, dozens of Israeli settlers, protected by Israeli soldiers, set several vehicles and property on fire, injuring at least 21 Palestinians.
As global attention focused on the Israeli army’s brutal offensive in Gaza, the past 15 months have seen an increase in settler attacks in the occupied West Bank, as well as deadly raids by Israeli forces.
From 7 October 2023 to 31 December 2024, at least 1,860 incidents of violence against settlers were recorded in the occupied West Bank – an average of four per day. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Nablus Governorate saw the highest number of settler attacks, with 411 incidents, followed by Ramallah with 410 and Hebron with 362.
Who are the Israeli settlers?
Settlers are Israeli citizens living in Jewish-only communities, known as Israeli settlements, built on Palestinian-owned land occupied by Israel in 1967.
Benjamin Netanyahu – Israel’s longest-serving prime minister – has boosted settlement expansion since first coming to power in 1996, undermining the 1993 Oslo Accords, which allowed settlements A freeze and a two-state solution were called for.
Today about 10 percent of Israel’s Jewish population, totaling between 600,000 and 750,000, lives in about 250 settlements and outposts scattered throughout the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Many of these settlements are located near Palestinian population centers, often leading to tensions and restrictions on movement for Palestinians.
Israeli settlements are illegal under international law because they violate the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits an occupying power from moving its population into territory it occupies. This is for a number of reasons, including protecting civilians from resource theft by the occupying power and preventing demographic changes in the occupied territory.
Trump lifts restrictions on violent settlers
One of Donald Trump’s first acts as president was to lift sanctions targeting far-right settler organizations and individuals involved in violent acts against Palestinians, including arson, property damage and attacks on civilians. are
The restrictions were imposed by his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, through an executive order in February 2024.
During his first term, Trump supported many of Israel’s key policies, including recognizing Jerusalem as its capital, supporting settlement expansion, cutting aid to the Palestinians, and normalizing relations between Israel and several Arab countries. Interfering with the Abrahamic covenant to bring about, without the involvement of the Palestinians.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Palestine expressed concern over a “new wave of violence” by Israeli settlers and armed forces in the occupied West Bank.
At least 870 Palestinians were killed.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October 2023, at least 870 Palestinians, including 177 children, have been killed and more than 6,700 injured in attacks by the Israeli army and settlers in the West Bank.
At least 13,500 Palestinians, including children, have been arrested and more than 2,100 structures have been demolished and more than 6,700 people displaced in the occupied West Bank.
