Escalating Settler Violence in West Bank Sparks International Concern

The Shin Bet security service has warned the Israeli government about the potential for an eruption of violence in the West Bank due to an increase in settler violence and clashes with Palestinians during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The US and EU have also expressed concerns about the situation. Israeli decision-makers are urging far-right ministers to take responsibility and calm things down, but these ministers have defended acts of settler violence in the past. Human rights activists report that Palestinian communities are being forcibly transferred due to settler violence, and there have been over 100 incidents of settler violence and harassment against Palestinians since the start of the Gaza war. The international community, including the US and France, has condemned the settler attacks and called for accountability. US President Joe Biden has urged Israeli authorities to prevent further incidents of settler violence, fearing it could exacerbate the current conflict in Gaza.