Increase in Israeli Settler Attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank

Nov 13, 2025
International

Photo: Palestinians and journalists inspect damage after an attack by Israeli settlers at an industrial area in Beit Lid village near Tulkarem, West Bank, 12 November 2025. (Collected / Majdi Mohammed/AP)

International Desk | PNN:

In the occupied West Bank, the growing number of attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians has drawn rare public condemnation from Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Chief of Staff Ayel Jamir. Local sources reported that recent violence targeted Palestinian homes, vehicles, and religious sites.

On Wednesday, Herzog described the attacks as “extremely concerning and condemnable,” stating, “The actions of a small number of people have crossed state limits. All state agencies must immediately suppress this trend.”

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Israeli settlers set fire to a mosque in the occupied Salfit area. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that the assailants poured flammable materials at the mosque’s entrance and wrote racist messages on its walls. Local residents were able to extinguish the fire quickly.

Earlier, on Tuesday, masked settlers attacked multiple villages in the West Bank, setting fire to Palestinian homes and vehicles, and subsequently clashing with Israeli soldiers.

Chief of Staff Ayel Jamir said, “We are closely monitoring the violent actions by Israeli citizens. Such criminal behavior will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that settler violence in the West Bank could undermine the peace process in the Gaza Strip. Speaking to journalists after a G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Canada, he said, “We hope this violence does not spread. The United States will make every diplomatic effort to prevent it.”

Last month, Israeli forces and settlers carried out 2,350 attacks in the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Commission for the Prevention of Settlement (CRRC). Chairman Muayyad Sha’ban stated that these attacks included physical assaults, house demolitions, seizure of agricultural land, and the uprooting of hundreds of olive trees.

Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem reported that settlers attack Palestinians daily, including shootings, beatings, burning farmland, destroying crops, blocking roads, and vandalizing homes.

Under international law, Israeli settlements are illegal. Yet, around 700,000 Israelis currently live in over 250 settlements and outposts in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Most settlements are located near Palestinian villages and towns, severely impacting local mobility, farming, and livelihoods.

The recent surge in violence underscores the urgent need for the international community to play a strong role in ensuring the safety of Palestinians in the occupied territories.