Palestinians in occupied West Bank face growing violence from Israeli settlers

Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are experiencing a significant surge in violence from Israeli settlers. The UN reports that settler attacks have displaced more Palestinians this year than in all of last year, averaging six attacks per day since the war with Iran began. This violence has intensified particularly since Hamas's attacks on October 7, 2023, leading to over 1000 Palestinian deaths by settlers and soldiers, nearly a quarter of whom were children.

The UN and international groups report a surge of violence in the West Bank, mostly by Israeli settlers against Palestinians (0:16). The UN says already this year settlers have displaced more Palestinians than in all of last year. And since the war with Iran began, settlers have averaged 6 attacks on Palestinians every day (5:41). Since then, the UN says settlers and soldiers have killed more than 1000 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Nearly one quarter of them children under 18 (6:05).

Israeli settlers are rapidly establishing and expanding illegal outposts on Palestinian land in the West Bank. Despite these structures being illegal under both Israeli and international law, initial demolitions by the army are often followed by even larger constructions, with subsequent lack of intervention. This expansion encroaches on Palestinian homes and agricultural land, and attempts by Palestinians to defend their property often result in their arrest by Israeli forces.

Mohammad Abu Siyam shows me the Israeli outpost where he believes his son's killers still live. The makeshift houses are illegal under Israeli and international law, but he says they've been there for 5 years. The first thing they did when they came is to build a house or two. The army demolished the two houses. The next day they built 3... in around one year they built 30 houses. After that, the army didn't care (4:11). If you attack them or even try to talk to them, they will immediately call for police or army, and the army will come and arrest you (5:14).

The Israeli parliament recently passed a law expanding the death penalty for killings classified as acts of terrorism. Human rights groups and the report indicate this law is expected to apply almost exclusively to Palestinian prisoners held by the Israeli military in the occupied West Bank, further exacerbating legal disparities.

Palestinians protested a new Israeli law that expands the death penalty for killings classified as acts of terrorism. Human rights groups say the law is expected to apply exclusively to Palestinian prisoners in the occupied West Bank (0:00). Last week, the Israeli parliament passed a law that expands the death penalty for killings classified as acts of terrorism that will apply almost exclusively to the Israeli military's Palestinian prisoners in the occupied West Bank (7:19).

Palestinians are subjected to extreme forms of violence, including physical assault, torture, and psychological terror. One account describes settlers attacking a village, tying and beating a man, sexually assaulting him, and forcing his wife and children to watch. The settlers also stole livestock, which are vital for livelihoods, and issued explicit threats of burning, rape, and child abduction to force families off their land.

Suhaib Abu al-Kabbash describes settlers grabbing him, tying his legs and hands with zip ties, taking his pants off and zip tying his penis, and hitting him. His family, his wife and children tied together and made to watch (8:14). This family had 400 sheep, and Abu al-Khabash says settlers stole all of them (9:25). They said to us, If you will not leave from here the next day, we will come and burn you, rape your women, and we will take your children and make them live with us (9:34).