Published: 26 August 2024
Last updated: 26 August 2024
Masked settlers attacked two Palestinian West Bank villages on Saturday, wounding at least two people and damaging property.
The attacks are the latest in a rash of violent outbreaks in which Jewish settlers in the West Bank have burned Palestinian homes and cars, thrown Molotov cocktails and rocks, and stolen stock.
Several Palestinians have died in the clashes, the latest Rashid Sedda, 22, who was killed by gunfire from a settler riot in the village of Jit on August 15. Many others have been injured.
Condemnation of the settlers’ behaviour has been mounting, as the rampages have increased in frequency and severity since 7 October 2023.
The head of the Shin Bet security service Ronen Bar wrote to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week warning that Jewish terrorism is endangering Israel's existence.
"The damage to the State of Israel, especially now and to the vast majority of the settlers, is indescribable."
Ronen Bar, Shin Bet chief
The leaders of the Jewish terrorists "want to cause the system to lose control, causing indescribable damage to Israel," Bar wrote.
Bar blamed police incompetence and "perhaps a sense of hidden support" for increased violence from settlers and a failure to arrest offenders. He also blamed MKs who support the settlers, including financially.
