Israeli settlers Attack Palestinian Town, Leaving One Dead
A Palestinian man was shot dead by the Israeli army during clashes that broke out on Wednesday afternoon in the Palestinian town of Turmus Ayya, northeast of Ramallah. The clashes were sparked by hundreds of Israeli settlers who stormed the town in the occupied West Bank, setting fire to dozens of cars and homes to avenge the deaths of four Israelis killed by two Palestinian gunmen the previous day. Eyewitnesses reported that several settlers opened fire on palestinians in the presence of the Israeli army, which also joined the attack and did nothing to stop the violence. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said several settlers stopped ambulances from reaching the town to treat the injured. Palestinian medical officials said one man — identified as 27-year-old Omar Qatin — was killed by army fire and two other people were wounded.
Settler Attacks on Palestinians
Sources said that settlers have carried out 310 attacks against Palestinians and Palestinian property since Tuesday evening. On Feb. 26, dozens of settlers attacked the towns of Hawara, Burin and Asira Al-Qibliya, south of Nablus, and burned dozens of vehicles. Earlier on Tuesday night, settlers attacked the village of Al-Laban Al-Sharqiya, set fire to crops, attacked homes and a gas station, and torched private vehicles. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said the “barbaric attacks carried out by settlers on peaceful citizens, and the destruction of their homes and properties, reflect the burning and killing mentality of Israel.” He added that opening the way for settlers to riot under the protection of the Israeli army “is a recipe for destruction, for which everyone will pay.”
Palestinian Response
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement called on its cadres and the Palestinian public to rally and confront the systematic settler attacks. “Attempts to terrorize our people by unleashing armed settler militias will be met with resistance and confrontation,” it said in a statement. Hussein Al-Sheikh from the Palestine Liberation Organization called on Palestinians to form popular committees to protect civilian properties and confront settler terrorism. He also urged the US administration and the international community to force the Israeli government and army to stop settler attacks. Mustafa Al-Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative Movement, told Arab News that the settlers’ terrorism “is a repetition of the criminality and terrorism of Zionist gangs during the Nakba in 1948.”
International Response
Egypt called for an immediate halt to attacks by Israeli settlers to stop the security situation from spiraling out of control. The United Nations has also condemned the violence and called for restraint on all sides. The European Union has called on Israel to halt all settlement activity in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as it is illegal under international law and undermines the viability of a two-state solution.
Conclusion
The ongoing violence between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank is a reminder of the deep-rooted tensions between the two sides. The Israeli government’s policy of building settlements in the West Bank has been a major obstacle to peace negotiations, as it undermines the possibility of a viable Palestinian state. The international community has repeatedly called on Israel to halt all settlement activity in the West Bank, but so far, these calls have fallen on deaf ears. As long as settlements continue to be built, the cycle of violence is likely to continue, with innocent civilians on both sides paying the price.