Settlers in the West Bank: Burn houses, residents injured!

Settlers in the West Bank: Burn houses, residents injured!

Deir Dibwan, Westjordanland, Palästina - In the Palestinian small town of Deir Dibwan in West Bank, Israeli settlers have caused a sensation again. Dozens of them set fire to several houses and cars and injured the local population. According to the red crescent moon, seven residents of Deir Dibwan had to be taken care of after they reportedly attacked settlers. From the safety of the masking, they shot stones on the residents, which further escalated the Situation. As the Israeli news page Ynet reports, around 40 Israeli young people came to the village near Ramallah. The Israeli forces were sent to the crime scene to pursue the incidents.

The situation in the West Bank is strongly tense after the massive Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 and the resulting Gaza war. Violence increases both by Palestinian extremists and radical Israeli settlers. The Palestinians claim the West Bank and the eastern part of Jerusalem as part of a future state, which further fuel the tensions.

international reactions and sanctions

The US government has exerted pressure on the extremist settlers in West Bank and imposed sanctions against four Israeli settlers, which are held responsible for violence against Palestinians. These measures include the blocking of possible assets in the USA and a ban on US citizens to do business with the individuals concerned. President Joe Biden confirmed that the increase in violence by extremists is a serious threat to peace and stability in the region. This is done in the context of increasing violence since the Hamas attack and the renewed reports of attacks on Palestinians.

In addition, the UN complains that over 370 Palestinians were killed in West Bank between October 7, 2023 and January 31, 2024, with many of Israeli soldiers and settlers being killed. These figures make it clear that in 2023 the deadliest year in West Bank since the beginning of the counts in 2005, a worrying trend that the international community follows.

reports on settlers

activists and human rights organizations have documented an alarming increase in settler control since the beginning of the conflict in the Gaza Strip. Over 170 cases of attacks and destruction, including the devastation of olive trees, were recorded. In a terrifying incident, a Palestinian in AT-Tuwani was shot by a settler. The victim, a relative of the journalist Basil Adra, is in the intensive care unit after several operations.

In addition, residents report targeted attacks on the water infrastructure that endanger the water supply. Activists complain that violence by settlers attracts too little public attention. On average, there are six to seven cases of settlers every day that can increasingly be compared with armed militias.

Overall, the situation in the West Bank seems to escalate more and more for both the Palestinians and the Israeli population, which significantly increases the challenges for peace in the Middle East. These persistent incidents of violence and confrontative politics require urgent attention and measures to prevent further escalation.

Developments in Deir Dibwan and the entire region illustrate the complexity and the urgency of the search for solutions for the conflict in West Bank.

Further information on the current developments can be found in the reports of Tagesschau and Tagesschau .