Recent events in the West Bank, where violence between Israeli settlers and Palestinians has recently turned deadly, have set off new alarms. Jewish settlers have established a new outpost, a cluster of buildings erected without Israeli government permission, situated just a few hundred meters from a Palestinian village. That outpost has become a flashpoint for daily violence, with local Palestinians documenting regular assaults by settlers. Things took a turn for the worse when settlers violently attacked Rabbi Arik Ascherman in the Palestinian village of Mikhmas. This incident is yet another reminder to the increasing volatility of the region.
Already, the new Israeli government has announced its biggest expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank in a decade. Wonderful news as they approved 22 new settlements. The administration’s decision has stoked panic among Palestinian communities. They say that in the wake of the announcement, Jewish settlers have increasingly escalated violence against them. Oded Paporisch, an Israeli peace activist who seeks to protect local populations from violence, has become especially concerned about the escalation in settler violence.
Settler Aggression and Palestinian Response
According to local Palestinian villagers, Jewish settlers have started a long string of unwarranted assaults. These occurrences raise profound questions about structural property destruction and vivid danger to families simply trying to walk, play, eat. As one community member stated, settlers have accosted families in parks and playgrounds, producing an environment of fear and intimidation. According to the Haaretz article, Israeli settlers have additionally attacked property such as burning Palestinian homes and creating outposts on agricultural land.
“Every day he [the settler teenager] comes here to our water, [the] feed of our sheep — and he destroys it,” – Salama Kaabneh
It has become further exacerbated by settlers’ allegations that Palestinians have stolen their sheep, partly militarizing the situation. The Palestinian villagers claim that it’s the settlers who are running amok with the basest forms of theft and vandalism. They give testimony to the times that settlers have driven their sheep through and completely raided their crops.
“He brings these sheep to herd in here, maybe 20 metres from a Palestinian house … to try to terrorise them,” – Oded Paporisch
Tempers are high, that’s for sure. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has documented settlers and Israeli forces in partnership carrying out an average of four violent attacks against Palestinians every single day. In June alone, 95 Palestinians were injured as a result of settler violence, the greatest number in a single month since recording began.
Rabbi Ascherman’s Experience and Broader Implications
Rabbi Arik Ascherman which almost resulted in his death is a sobering reminder of the dangers confronting Palestinians and those who stand up for their rights. After being injured during an attack by settlers, he shared the severity of his injuries, stating:
“I have two fractures in my neck. You can see my whole head is stapled together, I’ve got some other injuries here and there.” – Rabbi Arik Ascherman
Even in his own pain, he focused on the pain of Palestinians. He remarked, “When the Palestinians wanted to comfort me when I got here, I said, ‘thank you, but, of course, you get much worse.’” Miami’s words resonate a lot with where activists are at these days. They point to the increasing normalization of settler violence, noting that perpetrators are rarely held accountable.
Ascherman noted how the settler movement takes advantage of a larger environment of fear that permeates Israeli society. He stated:
“That has allowed the settler movement to take advantage of the pain and anger and fear that all Israelis across the political spectrum are feeling, to do what they planned years ago, maybe even decades.” – Rabbi Arik Ascherman
The dramatic increase in violence is consistent with a disturbing trend seen over the past several months. These settlers, according to reports, were directly responsible for the murder of three Palestinians in the month of July alone. These incidents only add to a series of incidents that make fear a greater reality than safety for many people living in the metropolitan region.
The Role of Israeli Authorities
The chief of all of Israel’s domestic security agencies has labeled the acts of violent, genocidal extremist Jewish settlers “terrorism.” This joint declaration further underscores just how dire the situation has become. His words are testimony to an internal awareness in Israel that this aggression can no longer go on without consequence. Many activists argue that there is insufficient pressure on Israeli authorities to dismantle unauthorized outposts or take meaningful action against settler violence.
Growing anger
As violence intensifies, Palestinian voices such as Salama Kaabneh share their growing outrage at the failure of state and local officials to intervene. He talked about the ways in which the settlers take steps everyday to disrupt their ways of life by destroying critical resources for their herds.
“They are not allowed to eat, they cannot graze, and he [the settler teenager] does whatever he wants and roams freely,” – Mr. Kaabneh
The current crisis in Palestine has resulted in widespread feelings of helplessness and fear among Palestinians. Villagers charge that settlers preplan provocations and use violent intimidation measures to take away their use of their lives.
