Ramallah, West Bank: In a wave of overnight attacks spanning Saturday into Sunday, Israeli settlers stormed multiple Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank, smashing cars, igniting fires, and injuring several residents during the Eid al-Fitr holiday celebrating Ramadan’s end. The assaults mark the latest escalation in a broader surge of settler violence that has gripped the territory since Israel’s war with Iran erupted last year, AP reported.
The official Palestinian news agency WAFA detailed attacks across at least six communities — including Silat al-Dahr and Fandaqumiya near Jenin; Jalud and Salfit south of Nablus; and agricultural areas in Masafer Yatta and the Jordan Valley — where settlers set homes and cars ablaze, pepper-sprayed Palestinians, and wounded at least five people.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that three Palestinians in Jalud sustained head wounds from beatings after confronting the settlers, who were also injured; the victims required hospitalization.
As of March 15, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has recorded 25 Palestinians killed by Israeli settlers and soldiers this year; meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority has logged multiple arson incidents — including targeting mosques — throughout the territory.
This flare-up coincides with Israel’s government pushing forward plans for new settlements in the West Bank, a move critics say fuels tensions.
Israel’s military acknowledged the disturbances, stating it responded to Israeli civilians carrying out “arson against structures and property, as well as engaging in disturbances in the area.” However, the army reported no arrests and did not indicate whether any investigations were launched.
The West Bank has long been a flashpoint, with settler violence surging periodically amid Israel’s occupation since 1967 and expansion of over 150 settlements housing some 700,000 Israelis. Since the Iran war began in late 2025, such attacks have spiked, drawing international condemnation and complicating peace efforts. Palestinian officials and rights groups call for accountability, while Israeli authorities often attribute incidents to “price tag” reprisals against perceived threats.
