Israeli settlers carried out violent attacks across the occupied West Bank on Saturday, burning buildings, homes and vehicles and beating and pepper-spraying Palestinians who tried to intervene. The assaults occurred on Eid al-Fitr, the holiday that marks the end of Ramadan.
The attacks, concentrated near the towns of Jenin and Nablus, affected at least six communities, according to local authorities. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that at least three Palestinians were hospitalized, and widespread property damage was recorded across the territory.
On Sunday the Israeli military said soldiers were deployed to several Palestinian villages. The army characterized the deployment as a response to reports of civilians committing arson and engaging in disturbances, and said it “condemns any form of violence and will continue to take measures to ensure the security of residents and public order in the region.” Israeli authorities, however, reported no arrests related to Saturday’s incidents.
Earlier this week Israel’s army chief, Eyal Zamir, described attacks by extremist settlers on Palestinians as “morally and ethically unacceptable.” Rights groups have long accused Israeli authorities of failing to protect Palestinians and their property in the West Bank, and at times of siding with violent settlers.
Settler violence has been persistent for decades but has intensified recently amid Israel’s expansion of settlements. Observers say violence increased after Israel and the United States launched their campaign against Iran on February 28. The establishment and expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank have been widely condemned as illegal under international law. In 2024 the International Court of Justice published an opinion stating that Israel has an obligation to cease immediately all new settlement activities and to evacuate settlers from the occupied Palestinian territory.
The West Bank is home to about 3 million Palestinians. A widely discussed two-state solution envisions the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as the territory of a future Palestinian state. More than 500,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements and outposts, a presence critics say undermines the feasibility of a two-state outcome.
Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah