TIMES International
Israeli forces have intensified their military offensive across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, raiding at least 20 towns and villages, demolishing homes, and arresting dozens of Palestinians.
The escalation occurs alongside a significant rise in violent attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians and their property.
According to reports from Al Jazeera, Israeli troops recently stormed the Jabal Salman area in Beita, south of Nablus, and conducted demolition operations in Nilin, west of Ramallah. In Jenin, military bulldozers accompanied forces during an incursion into the town of Arrabeh.
Further raids were documented in Deir al-Ghusun, where five Palestinians were detained, while four young men were arrested during operations in Nablus at the Balata camp and Asira al-Shamaliya. Other affected areas include Deir Jarir, Jalbon, Kafr Qaddum, Qalqilya, and the Arroub camp.
A tragic incident was reported in the town of Qaryut, where Israeli soldiers reportedly halted an ambulance transporting a pregnant woman to a Nablus hospital for emergency treatment. Her condition subsequently deteriorated, resulting in a miscarriage.
As military operations continue, emboldened settlers have increased their harassment of Palestinian communities. In the Abu Fuzaa encampment near Taybeh, residents were attacked on Monday, while in Al-Burj, settlers released cattle into olive groves, causing extensive damage to agricultural land.
Reports indicate that settlers have also targeted religious sites, with two mosques burned in the West Bank and another set ablaze in Tulkarem. Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim noted that Israeli forces often fail to curb these attacks, instead conducting arrests among the Palestinian victims.
She described a sense of defencelessness among Palestinians, who face settlers acting with “impunity” and the perceived support of the Israeli army.
The Arab League and several Arab states, including Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, have issued stern condemnations.
The Arab League warned the region is approaching a “moment of explosion” and urged international intervention. Francesca Albanese, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian Territories, characterised the settler actions as “pogroms against defenceless civilians”.
The Spanish government has also called on Israel to reverse its policies regarding settlement expansion and the shielding of settler violence.
Internally, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that military officials view the situation as “extremely dangerous and volatile”. Senior officers reportedly warned that the government is providing a “tailwind” to settler violence, with some reservists stating they are unable to intervene.
Analysts suggest the timing of the crackdown is linked to upcoming Israeli elections, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeking to appease far-right coalition members by demonstrating a hardline stance against Palestinians.
Since October 2023, nearly 1,200 Palestinians have been killed in the occupied West Bank, according to Arab League figures. This is in addition to more than 73,000 reported fatalities in Gaza during the ongoing conflict.
