Masked individuals from Israeli settlements engaged in violent acts by throwing stones and setting fire to dairy trucks, farmland, and Bedouin structures in the occupied West Bank, resulting in injuries to four individuals. The incident, one of many recent settler attacks in the area, was captured in videos circulating on social media, showing trucks ablaze and a building engulfed in flames.
Israeli military personnel swiftly responded to the chaos in Beit Lid and Deir Sharaf after a group of masked Israeli civilians launched the assault on Palestinians and property, leading to injuries among the Palestinian victims. The clash was eventually quelled by security forces.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported treating three individuals for injuries sustained from beatings with sticks and stones. Israeli authorities confirmed the arrest of four Israeli suspects linked to the violent episode, describing their actions as “extremist violence.”
In a separate incident near the Baron Industrial Zone, where some of the masked settlers regrouped, they targeted soldiers and caused damage to a military vehicle, according to the army’s account. Palestinians and human rights advocates have criticized the Israeli army and police for allegedly failing to prevent such attacks by settlers.
Muayyad Shaaban, the Palestinian Minister responsible for the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, condemned the attacks, accusing settlers of deliberately targeting Palestinian property and individuals to force them off their land. He called for sanctions against organizations supporting these violent settlement activities.
Notably, members of far-right Israeli settler groups hold significant sway in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government. Figures such as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have been associated with promoting settler interests and advancing controversial settlement projects in the West Bank.
The surge in settler violence, particularly during the olive harvest season, has raised concerns among Palestinians and international observers. The United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported a record number of attacks on Palestinians by settlers in October, with incidents targeting olive harvests resulting in injuries and damage to trees.
The situation in the West Bank remains volatile, with ongoing settler violence threatening the stability of the region. Calls for international intervention to address the escalating tensions and prevent further bloodshed have intensified, as concerns mount over the potential for a resurgence of conflict.