As the Israeli and American regimes continue their war on Iran, Israeli settlers are pushing deeper into Palestinian land in the West Bank, with at least five Palestinians killed in a series of recent attacks. Human rights groups and international observers have sounded the alarm over the latest surge in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians and their property, as diplomatic and media attention has been diverted by the conflict with Iran.
The Israeli rights group B’Tselem stated on social media that under the cover of war, cooperation between the military and Israeli settler militias is deepening the ethnic cleansing of the West Bank. According to their report, settlers deliberately graze livestock in Palestinians' cultivated fields, destroy crops and stored food, steal livestock, and vandalize solar panels and water tanks, exacerbating humanitarian conditions.
The Israeli rights group Yesh Din documented 109 separate incidents of settler violence against Palestinians in 62 communities over the first 10 days of the war on Iran, including shootings, physical assaults, property damage, and threats. For instance, in the village of Qaryut, two Palestinian brothers were killed when they tried to prevent Israeli settlers from damaging an olive grove, highlighting the deadly nature of these confrontations.
The European External Action Service (EEAS) issued a statement calling the level of violence in the West Bank unacceptable and urging Israeli authorities to take immediate and effective action to prevent further attacks against Palestinians and ensure accountability. However, despite the commander of the IDF's central command, Avi Bluth, labeling the incident as unacceptable, it remains unclear whether any perpetrators have been detained, raising questions about enforcement.
Since the Hamas-led attacks in October 2023 and the war in Gaza, the United Nations and Palestinian and Israeli rights groups have documented a massive increase in settler violence across the occupied West Bank, with at least 45 communities forced from their homes. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that eight Palestinian families were displaced due to attacks and threats by settlers from a newly established outpost, actions that are illegal under international law and contribute to regional instability.
Source: www.dw.com