Settler attacks surge across West Bank

Israeli settlers carried out an intensified wave of attacks across the occupied West Bank in October, with 260 documented incidents targeting Palestinian communities, according to human rights organizations and local officials. The rise in violence marks one of the sharpest monthly increases this year, coming amid ongoing tensions and military operations in the region. Witnesses reported that settlers, often under army protection, stormed villages, set fire to agricultural lands, vandalized vehicles, and assaulted residents. Many incidents occurred near Nablus, Hebron, and Ramallah, where Palestinian farmers were harvesting olives during the season, a period that traditionally sees a spike in confrontations.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that the number of settler-related attacks had more than doubled compared to September, leaving dozens of Palestinians injured and forcing several families to flee their homes. Local councils said the assaults also destroyed hundreds of olive trees, vital to the local economy, and damaged schools and mosques. Palestinian officials accused Israeli authorities of turning a blind eye to the violence, saying that settlers act with impunity while security forces focus on restricting Palestinian movement.

In recent weeks, Israeli security operations in the West Bank have also intensified, with nightly raids leading to multiple arrests, adding further strain to the volatile atmosphere. The violence has drawn international concern, with European and Middle Eastern diplomats urging Israel to rein in settler groups and uphold its obligations under international law. Despite these calls, residents say the attacks continue with little intervention, deepening fear and resentment in rural communities.

Human rights observers warned that the growing settler violence risks pushing the West Bank into broader instability. Aid organizations have appealed for international protection for vulnerable Palestinian areas, especially as olive harvests continue in exposed regions. For many families, October’s escalation underscores what they describe as a campaign to displace Palestinians from their lands under the shadow of ongoing conflict and occupation.