Extremist Jewish settlers have unleashed a wave of attacks on Palestinian villages across the occupied West Bank, reportedly setting ablaze numerous homes, vehicles, and agricultural lands.
This alarming surge in violence follows the death of an 18-year-old Jewish settler, Yehuda Sherman, last Saturday (March 21).
Sherman was reportedly killed after his ATV collided with a vehicle driven by a Palestinian. Authorities have stated that an investigation is ongoing to determine whether the incident was deliberate or accidental.
The incident ignited widespread fury among Jewish settlers, who subsequently used WhatsApp groups to orchestrate a “revenge campaign” in response to Sherman’s death.
An Israeli defense official, cited by local media, confirmed that more than 20 attacks targeted Palestinian villages throughout the night.
This surge in settler violence has intensified since the joint US and Israeli attacks on Iran. According to the United Nations (UN), six Palestinians have been killed in settler attacks since March 1 alone.
In a statement, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that their troops, alongside border police units, were deployed to several Palestinian villages on Saturday night. This deployment followed reports of Israeli civilians “setting fire to buildings and property, and causing disturbances in the area.”
Among the villages targeted were Jalud, Qaryut, al-Funduqmiya, and Silat al-Dhah.
Social media videos, which the BBC could not independently verify, depicted over 90 individuals, many clad in black and wearing masks, rushing into Jalud.
Further footage, reportedly from the villages, showed vehicles ablaze, buildings with shattered windows, and the sound of ambulance sirens arriving at the scenes. One striking photo captured the words “Revenge for Yehuda” spray-painted on a building wall.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that at least three Palestinians sustained head injuries and were hospitalized after attempting to confront the attackers in Jalud. Some of the assailants were also reportedly injured.
Israeli media outlets further reported a message circulated in a settler WhatsApp group, which chillingly stated: “Jews will not remain silent over Jewish blood spilled.”
Another post demanded: “We demand revenge and expulsion of the enemy.”
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The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs vehemently denounced the attacks, citing “the burning of homes and property, terror and murder of civilians, and assaults on main roads and vital intersections during Eid al-Fitr.”
On Sunday (March 22), Israeli police confirmed that border patrol forces arrested five individuals near the village of Deir al-Hatab.
They also reported that an officer was injured after Israeli civilians attacked security forces near the Itamar settlement. Police reiterated their commitment to act with “zero tolerance towards extremist individuals committing violence.”
Yesh Din, an Israeli civil rights group dedicated to protecting Palestinian rights, powerfully described the attacks as “a night of pogroms.”
In a statement published on X on Sunday evening, the organization criticized authorities for their repeated failure to anticipate such events, despite having prior intelligence.
“No preventative measures were prepared to stop the pogrom,” the organization wrote, referring to the term for an organized massacre of a particular ethnic group.
More than 500 people attended Yehuda Sherman’s funeral on Sunday afternoon, according to Israeli media reports. Among the attendees was Israel’s far-right Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who has been sanctioned by the UK and other nations for allegedly inciting violence against Palestinians.
On Sunday night, Jewish settlers reportedly blocked several roads in the occupied West Bank in protest. There were also unconfirmed reports of settler groups gathering outside several Palestinian villages.
Local news agency WAFA reported that settlers set fire to a car wash northwest of Nablus.
Earlier this month, the European Union and the UK had already urged Israel to curb the escalating settler violence against Palestinians, which has seen a marked increase since the attacks on Iran began on February 28.
UN data indicates that since the beginning of the year, seven Palestinians have been killed in attacks by Israeli settlers, while 18 others have died at the hands of Israeli forces. Notably, 15 of these deaths occurred after the attacks on Iran commenced.
Related Articles:
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- The History of the Balfour Declaration: 67 Words That Formed the State of Israel and Changed the History of the Palestinian People
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Yair Golan, leader of Israel’s center-left Democratic Party, strongly condemned the latest attacks and accused the Israeli government of allowing them to unfold.
In a post on X, he wrote: “While we are at war in Iran and on the northern border, under missile attacks and with many seriously wounded, this government is instead encouraging total anarchy. Jewish terrorism is spreading, exploiting the war, with the support of extremist ministers and dangerous encouragement from the prime minister and defense minister. This is a failure of responsibility for Israel’s security.”
Following separate attacks last week, IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir stated that settler violence in the West Bank is “morally and ethically unacceptable.”
Since occupying the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East War, Israel has established approximately 160 settlements, housing around 700,000 Jewish residents.
An estimated 3.3 million Palestinians reside in the same territory.
These settlements are widely considered illegal under international law.
Summary
Extremist Jewish settlers telah melancarkan gelombang serangan terhadap desa-desa Palestina di Tepi Barat yang diduduki, membakar banyak rumah, kendaraan, dan lahan pertanian. Gelombang kekerasan ini mengikuti kematian pemukim Yahudi berusia 18 tahun, Yehuda Sherman, yang memicu kampanye balas dendam yang diorganisir melalui grup WhatsApp. Lebih dari 20 desa Palestina menjadi sasaran, menyebabkan cedera dan kerusakan properti, dengan PBB melaporkan enam warga Palestina tewas dalam serangan pemukim sejak 1 Maret. Kekerasan ini meningkat sejak serangan gabungan AS dan Israel terhadap Iran.
Pasukan Pertahanan Israel mengerahkan pasukan dan polisi menangkap lima individu, menyatakan komitmen “tanpa toleransi” terhadap kekerasan ekstremis. Namun, otoritas Palestina, bersama kelompok hak-hak sipil Israel seperti Yesh Din, mengutuk keras peristiwa tersebut, dengan Yesh Din mengkritik pihak berwenang karena gagal mencegah apa yang disebutnya “malam pogrom.” Komunitas internasional, termasuk Uni Eropa dan Inggris, juga telah mendesak Israel untuk mengekang meningkatnya kekerasan pemukim di Tepi Barat, di mana sekitar 700.000 pemukim Yahudi tinggal di pemukiman yang secara luas dianggap ilegal menurut hukum internasional.