Dr. Wasil Abu Yousef: National unity is the way to confront the crimes of the settlers, and efforts must be integrated to confront these dangers
Abdullah Abu Rahma: There is a need to rebuild a local protection system aimed at deterring settlers and confronting their attacks
Hani Abu Al-Sabaa: Settler crimes reflect a dangerous escalation and put the Palestinian Authority in an embarrassing position before its people
Dr. Omar Rahhal: Settlers have become a political tool in the hands of extremist government figures and are being exploited as an electoral reservoir
Nizar Nazzal: The settlers' attack on Al-Bireh carries messages that they seek to expand their attacks to include cities
Imad Musa: The main goal of the escalating settler crimes is to push the Palestinians towards forced displacement
The escalating attacks carried out by settlers in the West Bank reflect a dangerous development that reflects a major shift in the nature of these crimes, the level of violence accompanying them, and the places they reach, especially after they targeted the city of Al-Bireh by setting fire to citizens’ vehicles and homes, which reflects intentions for forced displacement and the implementation of the decisive plan proposed by Israeli Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Politicians, activists, writers and analysts, in separate interviews with “I”, believe that these attacks come in the context of a war of extermination that seeks to consolidate the occupation policies through violent attacks on citizens in the West Bank and Gaza, stressing the importance of combining the efforts of the forces, factions, the Palestinian Authority and civil society to activate the popular guard committees to confront the settlers and protect property, and to move internationally to stop these violations and hold the aggressors accountable.
They assert that the settlers have extended their attacks beyond the remote areas to the major cities, and that this is part of a clear policy supported by the current Israeli government, with the aim of imposing a new reality that deprives the Palestinians of security in their cities and villages, and thus pressure towards displacement and land seizure.
large-scale war of extermination
Dr. Wasil Abu Yousef, coordinator of the National and Islamic Forces in Palestine, explains that the attacks carried out by settlers, the latest of which was the burning of vehicles and homes in the city of Al-Bireh, come within the framework of a large-scale war of extermination targeting the Palestinian people, whether in the Gaza Strip or in the West Bank.
Abu Yousef stressed that these crimes require concerted efforts between the various Palestinian forces and factions and all components of the Palestinian people, calling for the urgent activation of popular guard committees to confront these attacks.
Abu Yousef stresses that the responsibility of protecting property and citizens lies with everyone, and that there are several locations that require strengthening the popular presence in them, to ensure the safety of the residents and limit the escalation of settler attacks.
He stressed the importance of international action to uncover the crimes committed by settlers with the support of the occupation forces, noting that the international community is required to take a clear position against these serious violations, which constitute a breach of international laws, stressing that national unity is the way to confront these crimes, as well as the importance of coordination and integration of popular and political efforts in confronting the dangers threatening the Palestinians, in addition to the importance of the Palestinian Authority’s international action on the political, diplomatic and legal levels to confront these crimes.
An integrated system of violence that carries direct threatening messages.
Abdullah Abu Rahma, Director General of the Popular Action Department at the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, explains that the escalating attacks carried out by settlers against Palestinians come within an integrated system that combines Israeli government policies supporting settlements and acts of violence committed by the “Hill Youth Militias,” which was evident in the settlers’ arrival in the heart of Palestinian cities, as the city of Al-Bireh recently witnessed a violent attack by settler groups.
Abu Rahma points out that these attacks aim to send a clear message to the Palestinians that they are not wanted on their land, regardless of the classification of the areas, whether they are under Palestinian control according to classification “A”, or under joint administration in “B”, or “C” areas under full Israeli control according to the Oslo Accords.
Abu Rahma explains that these attacks carry direct messages of threat to the Palestinians, whether through intimidation or direct violence, as the existing policies reinforce the vision of the extremist Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, which stipulates the “decisiveness theory,” through which he promotes basic options for the Palestinians: either killing, emigrating, or submitting and accepting to live without any rights or protection under the umbrella of the “Jewish state.”
Abu Rahma believes that this vision represents an existential threat to the Palestinians, and seeks to undermine any future possibility of establishing an independent Palestinian state.
Abu Rahma points out that the development of settler crimes reflects a noticeable escalation in their violence, as attacks are no longer limited to individual acts of vandalism such as writing on walls or puncturing car tires, as was the case previously, but have moved to carrying out collective attacks and comprehensive arson, such as what happened in the towns of Huwara, Al-Mughayyir and other villages in the West Bank, all the way to the city of Al-Bireh.
Destabilizing the security of the Palestinians and forcing them to leave
Abu Rahma asserts that these crimes come with clear political support from the current Israeli government, as the perpetrators of these crimes have received sympathy and support from prominent political figures, such as Itamar Ben-Gvir and Benjamin Netanyahu, which reinforces an environment that repels Palestinians and besieges them in their quest to expand their living spaces or move freely.
Abu Rahma explains that the settlers’ crossing of all red lines and their audacity to penetrate Palestinian cities, as happened in the city of Al-Bireh, brings to mind the massacres of the Zionist gangs in 1948, such as the Deir Yassin and Tantura massacres, as civilians are being targeted again today in populated areas, which could herald a dangerous escalation, as the settlers’ crimes could reach our homes and the heart of cities.
Abu Rahma stresses that these attacks aim to destabilize the security of the Palestinians and push them to leave their land, as there are no longer “classifications” for areas between “A,” “B,” and “C,” as promoted by extremists such as Smotrich, who asserts that the dream of establishing a Palestinian state has ended, and that there is no place for the concept of a “Palestinian state” within the current Israeli vision.
The absence of international accountability encouraged the escalation of settler attacks
Abu Rahma believes that the absence of international accountability is one of the most prominent factors that encouraged the settlers to escalate their attacks. No punitive measures are taken against them, but rather they are released if they are arrested, as happened in the case of the settler accused of killing the martyr Qusay Mu’tan in Burqa, who was released after only a few days of detention and continues to practice his terrorism and crimes and leads organized groups.
Abu Rahma considers these Israeli policies to be a challenge at the international level, as the international community must seek to hold the settlers accountable, stressing that there are a number of settlers involved in these crimes whose names have been listed, but no tangible steps have been taken against them.
Abu Rahma calls for action on several levels to confront these increasing attacks. On the international level, it is necessary to demand action to prosecute these settlers and bring them to trial, and for the international community to assume its responsibilities in providing protection to the Palestinian people.
Abu Rahma stresses the importance of involving international solidarity activists and Israeli activists who support peace in these efforts, calling for activating the role of foreign diplomats and consuls in the Palestinian territories through field visits to the affected areas, to convey an accurate picture of the crimes committed and mobilize international support to stop them.
At the local level, Abu Rahma stresses the need to activate popular protection committees in the Palestinian territories to effectively confront settler attacks, stressing that Palestinians cannot wait for settlers to arrive at their doorsteps without preparation, and that there is a need to rebuild a local protection system aimed at deterring these attacks and ensuring the security and safety of citizens in every village and city.
Abu Rahma points out that rapid action on the ground has become necessary, especially in Palestinian villages located on the outskirts of areas exposed to settler attacks, where guard teams must be established to work around the clock and monitor settler movements, and for members of the security establishment to play their role in the areas where they are present, so that the scene of the recent attacks that targeted civilian areas is not repeated.
Abu Rahma asserts that the ongoing attacks by settlers, the lack of accountability for their crimes, and the extremist threats of the Israeli government are a dangerous indication of Israel’s intentions to forcibly displace Palestinians from their lands, or face genocide as is happening in Gaza.
Abu Rahma calls on everyone, whether at the national, Arab, Islamic or international level, to assume their responsibilities to protect defenceless Palestinian civilians and prevent their displacement from their lands.
Settlers carry out the aggressive tasks of the occupation army
The writer, political analyst and specialist in Israeli affairs, Hani Abu Al-Sabaa, confirms that the recent storming of the city of Al-Bireh by a group of extremist settlers, and their setting fire to homes and vehicles belonging to citizens, is a dangerous escalation that reflects an increase in the level of crimes committed by the settlers.
Abu Al-Sabaa explains that this incident sends several important messages, most notably the settlers’ attempt to assume the role and duties of the Israeli army in suppressing the Palestinians, especially after repeated reports indicating an increase in targeting them with stones and Molotov cocktails on bypass roads in the West Bank.
According to Abu Al-Sabaa's analysis, the settlers believe that the army is not doing its duty to protect them, and therefore they seek to carry out the army's tasks themselves, to terrorize and deter the Palestinians.
Abu Al-Sabaa points out that the settlers also seek, through these attacks, to terrorize the popular incubator of the resistance, as they believe that targeting Palestinian cities and villages in the north and center will lead to exhausting the popular incubator, and pushing the residents to leave their lands, in an attempt to impose an undeclared forced displacement.
This policy, according to Abu Al-Sabaa, relies on direct pressure on Palestinians to force them to leave their property, which is a clear violation of all international conventions and a violation of the sovereignty of the Palestinian Authority in the areas under its security control.
He stressed that these crimes put the Palestinian Authority in a critical position before its people, as it now has a great responsibility to provide effective protection for citizens. The Authority is also required today to take international action through the relevant institutions to expose the crimes of the settlers and highlight the seriousness of these attacks, especially with the international community’s commitment so far to verbal condemnation without taking tangible measures to limit this brutal behavior.
Abu Al-Sabaa points out that the US government has recently demanded that the Israeli government put an end to these attacks, but Abu Al-Sabaa stresses that the settlers are acting with the undeclared encouragement of the occupation forces deployed in the West Bank, which provides them with direct cover to continue their crimes. This is clearly evident in the behavior of the settlers who take the law into their own hands and deliberately implement punishments through violent attacks and arson, with the aim of displacing Palestinians from their lands.
Settlers reach the heart of Palestinian-controlled areas
Abu Al-Sabaa addresses the settlers’ arrival in the heart of areas under Palestinian security control, considering that this is a clear message to the Palestinians that they are not safe even in areas where the Palestinian Authority has a strong presence.
This reality, according to Abu Al-Sabaa, reflects the lack of a limit to the crimes committed by settlers, as there is no deterrent or obstacle to limit their violent behavior, which increases the pressure on the Palestinian Authority and places it before a major challenge in light of these escalating circumstances.
He points out that there are calls to form popular protection committees from the residents, with the aim of watching over their property at night, and creating a state of alert that warns the residents of any possible incursions or attacks.
At the same time, Abu Al-Sabaa points out that other calls are increasing for deterrence using means of resistance, to secure property and provide a real response that prevents the settlers from repeating these attacks.
Abu Al-Sabaa stresses that what is required is to strengthen popular unity and solidarity, and to restore the means of the first intifada to form popular committees that protect villages near settlements and cities adjacent to bypass roads, in order to limit the ongoing attacks of settlers.
Settlers have become the "spearhead" of the occupation army
Writer and political analyst Dr. Omar Rahhal, director of the Shams Center for Human Rights, believes that settlers’ attacks against Palestinians include several clear messages that seek to prove that these lands belong to Israel, according to a religious perspective that seeks to wrest the Palestinians’ right to live on their land.
Rahhal points out that the settlers have become a political tool in the hands of far-right government figures such as Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, as they are exploited as an electoral reservoir that guarantees their continued rule within a policy that adopts settlements as one of its essential foundations.
He stresses that these attacks are not individual acts, but that the settlers have become the "spearhead" of the Israeli army in implementing agendas focused on displacing Palestinians and inflicting the greatest possible human and material losses.
Rahhal believes that the ultimate goal of these policies is to destroy the spirit of hope among Palestinians and strip them of their sense of security.
Rahhal confirms that the concept of forced displacement does not exist in the Palestinian “dictionary,” and cites historical experiences that have proven that the Palestinians cling to their land and refuse displacement, despite the ongoing pressures.
Rahhal believes that the increasing attacks by settlers puts the Palestinian political system, especially the security establishment, in a worsening crisis of confidence with citizens, who feel frustrated as a result of the inability to provide them with the necessary protection in the face of these escalating attacks.
Rahhal points out that there is a failure by all concerned parties, whether factions, official institutions, or civil society institutions, to provide protection for the Palestinian people, which has encouraged the settlers to escalate their attacks, and perhaps prepare to commit organized massacres in the near future, as Rahhal believes that the current attacks are nothing but a “rehearsal” for something bigger and more dangerous.
He believes that the recent attacks in the city of Al-Bireh provide clear evidence of this systematic escalation, as settlers seek to commit more crimes against Palestinians, with the aim of displacing them from their areas and causing more victims. He believes that this type of crime requires a firm response from Palestinian institutions, and that there are several options available to Palestinians to confront this threat.
Regarding the possible options, Rahhal points out the necessity for the Palestinian security establishment to assume its full responsibilities in providing security and protection to citizens, considering this role a basic duty for any security establishment in the world.
Rahhal suggests, on the other hand, that the Palestinian factions and local municipalities cooperate in forming popular protection committees that enhance the capabilities of defending the population, and that responsibility not be limited to official institutions only.
Opportunities for influence through the international community
On the international level, Rahhal believes that there are opportunities for influence through the international community, by activating the role of the United Nations to pressure Israel to stop the settlers’ attacks, in addition to pushing for more pressure on the International Criminal Court, with the aim of considering the settlers illegitimate and prosecuting them for violations against the Palestinian people.
Rahhal recommends intensifying efforts to prosecute settlers in international and national courts, to enhance the legitimacy of the Palestinian cause and expand the scope of international solidarity with it.
Rahhal stresses that the Palestinians do not lack options to confront these challenges, stressing the importance of combining internal and external efforts, through cooperation between official and popular bodies, and pushing for strong positions in international forums, to ensure stopping the ongoing escalation and protecting the rights of the Palestinians.
Settler attacks echo 'Nakba'
Nizar Nazzal, a researcher specializing in Israeli affairs and conflict issues, believes that the wave of violence and attacks carried out by Israeli settlers in the West Bank bears echoes of the “Nakba” of 1948, which led to the displacement and homelessness of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
Nazzal explains this increasing escalation by the settlers as coming within an organized strategy that goes beyond randomness, as these attacks have become systematic and are managed by the settlement leadership and under the supervision of the Israeli security and political authorities, which reflects a noticeable increase in the level of threats targeting the Palestinian community in the West Bank.
Nazzal points out that the spread of weapons among settlers has reached unprecedented numbers, as about 200,000 weapons were distributed under direct orders from Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who, along with extremist Minister Bezalel Smotrich, is keen to strengthen support and coordination among settlers.
Nazzal asserts that settler leaders in the West Bank are working to develop an organized network of attacks on Palestinian towns and cities, and it seems that incitement to displace Palestinians is part of the hidden goals that Israel seeks to achieve, with the help of settlers, within the framework of what is known as the “decisiveness” plan sponsored by Smotrich.
He points out that the Israeli government now considers the settlers as a solid base that supports its policies in the West Bank.
According to Nazzal, the settlers are now reinforcing the government's current position, and are forming something like a militia parallel to the Israeli army, carrying out violent attacks that the army is unable to carry out or that might anger the international community, even though the international community so far seems uninterested in condemning these violations effectively.
Nazzal asserts that the international silence, especially from the United States, is considered a “green light” for more violence against the Palestinians, especially with the spread of weapons in the hands of settlers who carry out organized attacks that extend beyond remote Palestinian villages to the heart of cities.
In the context of the recent attacks on the city of Al-Bireh, Nazal considers these attacks a “qualitative step” that carries symbolic messages that the settlers are seeking to extend their control and expand their activity to include the major cities, and not just the remote villages that were previously subjected to attacks.
He believes that this change reflects a dangerous escalation, and confirms that the settlers’ goals go beyond random threats, to become calculated and complicit with the political leadership, which does not hide its support for these movements.
Nazzal points out that Israeli leaders celebrated the number of armed settlers reaching about 200,000, which reflects direct political support and increases the seriousness of the situation, especially since these weapons were distributed in an organized manner and with the support of the institutions of the occupying state.
Nazzal points out that these attacks may contribute to motivating Palestinians to voluntarily emigrate for fear of an unknown fate, stressing that the silence of the international community and the absence of an Arab deterrent encourage the settlers to continue.
Nazzal believes that this escalation is merely a prelude to a dangerous scenario and a long-term plan that may lead to a radical change in the demographic structure of the West Bank, and aims to create a new reality on the ground that is impossible to change in the future.
Nazzal believes that the Palestinian response to this escalation must take several paths, starting with achieving true national unity among all Palestinian factions.
Formation of local guard committees
Nazzal stresses the need to form local guard committees to protect citizens and their property from organized attacks by settlers, and to confront these militias that have become a parallel force to the Israeli army.
According to Nazzal, confronting these violations also requires exposing them at the international level and shedding light on the dangers facing the Palestinian people, stressing that this step may help in enhancing international awareness of the seriousness of the threat facing the Palestinians.
Nazzal calls on the Palestinian leadership to activate the role of international institutions, especially the United Nations and the International Criminal Court, in order to condemn the settlers, considering that their actions are crimes that require accountability, stressing the need to follow up their cases before international courts to besiege them legally.
Nazzal believes that this move will put pressure on Israel and limit the unlimited international support for its practices.
Nazzal warns of the consequences of being lenient in confronting the settlers, who have become an “army within an army.”
But Nazzal confirms that previous experiences prove the Palestinians’ ability to withstand Israeli plans, no matter how dangerous they are. However, this steadfastness requires support and integration between Palestinian factions and institutions, warning that the continuation of the current situation may push some Palestinians to seek safer havens, and this is what Israel wants to weaken the steadfastness of the people in their land.
Imad Musa: The main goal of settler crimes is to push Palestinians towards forced displacement
Writer and political analyst Imad Musa explains that the attacks carried out by Israeli settlers against Palestinians are not individual acts, but rather represent a fundamental aspect of the strategy of the far-right government in Israel.
Musa believes that what is happening on the ground is an extension of the policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide, with the aim of annexing the entire West Bank to Israeli control, by exploiting the current circumstances as a last opportunity to implement this project.
Musa points out that the danger of the attacks does not stop at citizens only, but extends to targeting Palestinian security institutions, by provoking armed confrontations between settlers and the Israeli army on the one hand, and Palestinian security services on the other hand, as Israel seeks to exhaust those services and destroy their infrastructure, by destroying their headquarters and causing the largest possible number of deaths and injuries among their members, which leads to putting them out of service and spreading a state of chaos and instability.
Musa believes that the main goal of these actions is to push the Palestinians towards forced displacement, as Israel exploits the arson and deliberate destruction of Palestinian homes and property to push them to leave their lands.
Musa points out that the ongoing attacks also seek to eliminate the Oslo Accords, as the settlers consider the Oslo Accords a “sin” that must be completely erased.
“The settlers and the far-right government dared to attack the UN Charter publicly, as happened when the Israeli representative to the UN tore up the charter before the General Assembly,” Musa said. “These attacks expanded to include UNRWA and its employees, as its headquarters were demolished and vandalized, in addition to incidents of arrest and assassination of some of its employees.”
Musa confirms that the Israeli attack on UNIFIL forces in Lebanon is a dangerous precedent in the history of the United Nations, in order to control the headquarters of those forces.
According to Musa, the Israeli army seeks, through these attacks, to dismantle international legitimacy, and thus, creating a state of chaos in the global system could allow Israel to expand eastward, benefiting from the increasing support from some Arab countries that have signed normalization agreements with it.
Musa stressed that the settlers' arrival to the heart of Palestinian cities is clear evidence of their determination and ability to implement their expansionist project without fear or hesitation, calling for confronting this growing danger by strengthening Palestinian national unity and taking measures to confront them.
Musa stresses that the international community plays a crucial role in confronting these policies, calling for intensified diplomatic efforts to pressure the international community and demand that it reconsider Israel’s membership in the United Nations, on the basis that it has violated the terms of membership and deserved the status of a “rogue entity,” thus opening the way for its international prosecution through the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, in addition to its prosecution at the national level in some countries.
Musa believes that such steps may lead Israel to unprecedented challenges on the international level, most notably the destabilization of the legitimacy of its existence and the loss of support it relies on from liberal Western countries, which may lead to the erosion of the values that Israel markets itself as a democratic state that respects human rights and freedoms.
