Settlements

Since the war of 1967, Israel has created illegal Jewish-only settlements within the territories it has occupied since. Settlements in the Gaza Strip were dismantled in 2005 as part of Israel’s disengagement plan, but the settlement enterprise in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, continues to grow despite being illegal under international law. Nonetheless, Israeli settlers enjoy military protection and at times government departments “covertly assist them” by providing electricity and water. Israel has built at least 280 settlements in the West Bank (138 of which are officially established and recognized by the state), which are home to over 620,000 settlers. The demographic changes in the West Bank that have taken place since the creation of settlements have made the realization of an independent viable Palestinian state practically impossible.

Illegal settlements in the West Bank have created a system of intimidation towards the Palestinians living in nearby areas as incidents of settler violence gather pace, on a daily or near-daily basis. The violent acts include beating, throwing stones, issuing threats, torching fields, destroying trees, stealing crops, using live fire, demolishing homes, damaging vehicles, and, in some cases, homicide. In recent years, settlers in so-called farms have been violently chasing Palestinian farmers and shepherds away from their fields and from pastureland and water sources they used for generations. Palestinian children in the West Bank face threatening situations as they travel to and from school on a daily basis. Many face harassment when passing by settlements. Others face physical harm when crossing military zones.

As the occupying power, Israel is legally obliged under international law to protect Palestinians under its occupation and their property from settler violence and ensure settlers are held accountable. Rather, settlers are protected by Israeli authorities and rarely held accountable for violence perpetrated against Palestinian civilians. Israeli civil law applies to Israeli settlers living in the Palestinian West Bank, whilst military law applies to Palestinians living in the same territory.

Since October 2023, the frequency and severity of settler violence in the West Bank has grown unprecedentedly. Over the past year, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) documented at least 1143 settler attacks, including killings, harassment, home raids, property destruction, and theft. Israeli settlers have since attacked over 93 Palestinian communities and displaced over 18 of them. Such acts of violence are committed with near absolute state impunity – few Israeli settlers have been arrested and almost none have been indicted since.