Israeli settlers intensify attacks on Palestinians across the West Bank
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 4
Israeli settlers intensify attacks on Palestinians across the West Bank
7 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 4
In Qusra on 14 March, Moatasem Odeh said settlers fatally shot his 28-year-old son Amir, then stabbed and beat him unconscious.
The report says a two-month wave of violence has spread to places including the Jordan Valley and Deir Dibwan, where families reported sexual assault, beatings and another fatal shooting.
With attention focused on the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and its proxies, armed settlers are described as acting with seeming impunity, driving Palestinians from villages and deepening nightly fear.
With settlers now serving as soldiers, who is truly policing the West Bank?
If settler attacks are labeled war crimes, why do perpetrators remain unpunished?
Is the West Bank being annexed under the cover of the war with Iran?
West Bank Crisis 2026: Daily Settler Attacks Fuel Forced Displacement of Nearly 2,000 Palestinians
Overview
From January to May 2026, the West Bank experienced a sharp rise in settler violence and forced displacement, with nearly 1,700 Palestinians uprooted, mostly in the Jordan Valley. This surge was driven by daily settler attacks, systematic targeting of water and agricultural resources, and expanded settlement activities backed by Israeli government policies, including transferring land registration powers to facilitate land seizure. The incorporation of settler reservists into the military blurred lines between security forces and violent settlers, enabling ongoing attacks with little accountability. These actions devastated Palestinian livelihoods, collapsing the economy and healthcare system, while children faced severe disruptions to education and well-being. Despite military condemnations, political support for settlements undermined enforcement, deepening the humanitarian crisis and threatening the future of Palestinian communities.