The Palestinian villages south of Nablus face severe settler violence and warn the assaults will only increase. Nablus, occupied West Bank – No matter how hard he tries, Abdulatheem Wadi is unable to hide the devastating pain written all over his face. With his eyes fixed on the distance, the 50-year-old chokes up as he recalls how Israeli settlers murdered his 63-year-old brother Ibrahim and his 24-year-old nephew Ahmad, on October 12, while they were attending a memorial service for a group of Palestinians also killed by settlers the previous night.
The funeral procession and its planned path were approved by the Israeli army through the Palestinian Authority (PA) side of the District Coordination Office (DCO), but it was still attacked. Armed settlers jumped onto the main road, put burning tires, and blocked their path. Chaos ensued as live fire and rocks were thrown at them by both the army and settlers. Abdulatheem’s relatives were shot dead, and his 14-year-old nephew, Yasser, was left traumatized after the settlers showered the car he was in with bullets.
Settler attacks have been a daily reality in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since Israel’s occupation in 1967. At least 700,000 Israelis live in illegal, fortified, Jewish-only settlements across the occupied territories, leading to shootings, stabbings, fatal rock-throwing, severe beatings, arson, and damage to homes, vehicles, and agricultural lands. Shockingly, the majority of perpetrators do not face any accountability for their crimes.
However, since October 7, settler attacks have increased exponentially in the occupied West Bank. This surge in violence coincided with Israel’s military response to the Gaza-based Hamas armed resistance group’s operation just outside the besieged Gaza Strip. In the ongoing conflict, Israel has launched relentless shelling campaigns and ground invasions, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians, including many children. Settlers have taken advantage of the situation, raiding Palestinian villages, assaulting residents, and causing widespread injuries.
The United Nations has highlighted that Israeli forces were often accompanying or actively supporting the attackers in nearly half of all incidents. The villages south of Nablus, such as Qusra, Burin, Madama, Asira al-Qibliya, Urif, Huwara, Qaryout, Jalud, Duma, and Turmus Aya, are particularly targeted due to their proximity to illegal Israeli settlements. These settlements, along with the separation wall and military checkpoints, have effectively turned the West Bank into isolated Palestinian enclaves suffering from severe restrictions.
The violence perpetrated by settlers has claimed numerous innocent lives over the years. In 2015, the Dawabsheh family home in Duma was set on fire by settlers, resulting in the death of an 18-month-old baby and his parents. In 2019, a Palestinian man in al-Mughayyer was shot dead by settlers, with several others injured. Despite such incidents, top Israeli officials have publicly incited more violence, further exacerbating the situation.
The villages south of Nablus, sandwiched between illegal settlements and main highways frequently used by settlers, are living in constant fear. They feel abandoned by the authorities as they face attacks from both settlers and the Israeli army. The settlers’ brazenness has only escalated since October 7, with the army’s protection and coordination becoming more apparent. Palestinians are left to defend themselves with whatever means they have, often resulting in fatal clashes with the army.
Amid the ongoing war in Gaza and the arming of Israeli settlers, the villages south of Nablus fear more attacks in the future. Massacres seem inevitable in this area, leaving the Palestinian residents in a constant state of fear and vulnerability.
In conclusion, the escalating settler violence in Palestinian villages south of Nablus demands urgent attention and action from the international community. The lives and safety of innocent Palestinians are at stake, and without proper accountability for the perpetrators, the cycle of violence will continue unabated.
