Settler attacks on Palestinian villages surge in West Bank
The attacks followed the death of 18-year-old settler Yehuda Sherman, who was killed on Saturday in a vehicle incident that police are investigating as either an accident or a deliberate act
Jewish settlers have carried out a series of attacks on Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank, setting fire to homes, vehicles and agricultural land, in a wave of violence that has intensified in recent days.
The attacks followed the death of 18-year-old settler Yehuda Sherman, who was killed on Saturday in a vehicle incident that police are investigating as either an accident or a deliberate act.
Wave of attacks
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
More than 20 settler attacks were reported overnight after calls for a "revenge campaign" circulated on social media.
Palestinian villages including Jalud, Qaryut, al-Funduqmiya and Silat al-Dhah were targeted. In Jalud, masked individuals entered the village, setting multiple vehicles on fire and spray-painting "Avenge Yehuda" on buildings.
Residents also reported arson attacks on homes and farmland across several locations.
Casualties reported
The UN says six Palestinians have been killed by settlers since 1 March, during a period of heightened tensions.
In clashes in Jalud, at least three Palestinians suffered head wounds, according to local reports.
An Israeli officer was also injured when security forces came under attack from Israeli civilians.
Regional backdrop
The surge in violence comes after the outbreak of war involving the United States, Israel and Iran on 28 February, which has heightened instability across the region.
International observers and Israeli opposition figures say the broader conflict, including strikes in Lebanon and missile attacks from Iran, has created conditions that extremist elements are exploiting.
According to the UN, 15 of the 25 Palestinians killed by settlers or Israeli forces so far this year have died since the start of the Iran conflict.
Reactions
The European Union and the United Kingdom have called on Israel to halt the violence, issuing formal demands earlier this month after the escalation in attacks.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Golan accused the government of backing "Jewish terrorism" and encouraging "total anarchy".
Israel's military chief of staff described the settler violence as "morally and ethically unacceptable".
Civil rights group Yesh Din said security forces had failed to act despite prior knowledge of planned settler attacks.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the incidents as a campaign of violence against civilians during Eid al-Fitr.
Settlements and tensions
There are about 700,000 Jewish settlers living in roughly 160 settlements across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which are considered illegal under international law.
Critics say the ongoing regional conflict has diverted attention and security resources, contributing to a rise in attacks and allowing violence to spread more rapidly.
