Israeli settlers rampage through West Bank towns for second night in a row

At least nine Palestinians were injured during a second consecutive night of attacks attributed to Israeli settlers in multiple towns and villages across the occupied West Bank, based on reports from Palestinian medical and news services.

The reported incidents included shootings, beatings, arson, and damage to property, with some occurring during the Eid al-Fitr holiday period. The accounts cited Palestinian emergency responders and local reporting, and did not include independent verification in the source material.

What happened over the weekend

Late Sunday in Deir al-Hatab, east of Nablus, a 45-year-old Palestinian man was shot in the foot during a confrontation involving settlers, as described by the Wafa news agency.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said a 47-year-old man was attacked by settlers in the Jabal al-Arma area of Beita, and that several other people were beaten there as well.

Earlier attacks and locations cited

Separate incidents were also documented on Saturday night in at least six communities, including Silat al Dahr and Fandaqumiya near Jenin, as well as Jalud and Salfit south of Nablus.

Reports also described violence in agricultural areas of Masafer Yatta and the Jordan Valley. The same reporting referenced homes and vehicles being set on fire and residents being pepper-sprayed, with Wafa indicating at least five people were wounded on Saturday night.

Triggering event and ongoing investigation

The surge in violence followed the funeral of an 18-year-old Israeli, Yehuda Sherman, who died in a collision involving a Palestinian vehicle. Israeli police are investigating allegations that the crash was deliberate, and the source material does not state any conclusion from that inquiry.

The immediate security environment matters for daily movement, farming activity, and local commerce in the affected areas, particularly where attacks were reported in rural and agricultural zones.

Policy backdrop and legal context

The incidents come as Israel’s government advances additional settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, while attention has also been heightened on the conflict with Iran.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said 25 Palestinians have been killed this year by Israeli settlers and soldiers. Separately, Israel’s security cabinet last month ratified measures that allow large areas to be designated as “state property” if Palestinians cannot prove ownership.

Reactions and unresolved questions

The Palestinian presidency condemned the cabinet decision as a “grave escalation,” calling it a violation of international law and describing it as “de facto annexation.” Amnesty International criticized settlement expansion and what it described as state-backed settler violence, arguing the international community has not acted decisively.

In 2024, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and called for it to end “as rapidly as possible,” citing settlement activity and other policies it said breach international law. Key uncertainties remain in the near term, including the outcome of the Israeli police investigation into the fatal crash and whether security measures or policy steps will change conditions on the ground.