DayofPal-Israeli human rights group B’Tselem has accused Israel of enabling and supporting settler violence to drive Palestinians out of their homes.
The organization warned that these attacks are not isolated incidents but part of a systematic effort to forcibly displace Palestinian communities.
In a chilling example, B’Tselem shared footage on social media showing Israeli settlers torching a mosque and a tractor in the Bedouin community of Arab Al-Malehat, northwest of Jericho.
The attack, carried out at dawn on Sunday, is one of thousands that have plagued Palestinian communities in recent months.
According to Palestine’s Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, Israeli settlers launched 2,971 attacks on Palestinians and their property in the West Bank in 2024 alone.
These violent acts have killed ten Palestinians and destroyed over 14,000 trees, further crippling livelihoods in the occupied territory.
As settler violence escalates, so does the number of illegal Israeli settlements. The commission reports that by the end of 2024, around 770,000 Israeli settlers were living in the West Bank, spread across 180 settlements and 256 outposts.
Many of these outposts, 138 of which are agricultural or grazing sites, are built without formal authorization but continue to expand under Israeli military cover.
The surge in settler violence comes against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza, which has further intensified military operations across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
In addition, during his first week in office, US President Donald Trump overturned sanctions on over 30 illegal Israeli settlers and groups in the occupied West Bank, sparking tension with Palestinians who fear of ‘more crimes’ by the settlers.
Since the war began, over 900 Palestinians have been killed, nearly 6,700 wounded, and around 14,300 arrested, according to official figures.
With unwavering US support, Israel has waged a relentless assault on Gaza since October 7, 2023. As of January 19, 2025, the attacks have left more than 159,000 Palestinians killed or wounded, the majority of them women and children.
Meanwhile, over 14,000 remain missing, making this crisis one of the worst humanitarian disasters in modern history.
As violence escalates and displacement grows, the question remains: How much longer will the world turn a blind eye?
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