Settlers escalate in the West Bank... "decisive action" is underway on the ground.

Abdullah Abu Rahma: Settlers are working according to a strategy supported by the occupation army to make life impossible for Palestinians.
Dr. Khalil Al-Tafakji: The attacks are being carried out with official support, with the aim of emptying the lands of their original inhabitants to facilitate their annexation and the expansion of settlements.
Abdul Hadi Hantash: The primary goal of settler attacks is to annex the West Bank, impose Israeli law on it, and expel Palestinians.
Dr. Amjad Bashkar: The coming period may witness catastrophic scenarios, including mass displacement from villages to cities, with the possibility of escalating violence.
Nizar Nazzal: Settler attacks are part of a deliberate political project aimed at annexing Palestinian lands and liquidating the Palestinian cause.
Samer Anabtawi: The coming period will witness a further escalation in settler attacks, with continued political and security support for them aimed at displacing Palestinians.


The West Bank is witnessing a dangerous escalation in Israeli settler attacks on villages, Bedouin communities, and agricultural lands. This is part of carefully considered settlement plans aimed at displacing Palestinians and imposing full Israeli sovereignty over the region. This is in accordance with the "decisive plan" proposed by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to resolve the conflict and annex the West Bank.
In separate interviews with Al-Quds, officials, settlement experts, writers, analysts, and university professors confirmed that these settler attacks, carried out with direct support from the Israeli army and government, aim to make life impossible for Palestinians by confiscating land, demolishing homes, destroying crops, and establishing new settlement outposts.
They point out that these settlement attacks are being carried out with unlimited funding and legislation enacted in the Knesset to legalize settlement outposts, with the aim of changing the demographic reality and emptying the lands of their indigenous inhabitants, in a context also linked to the ongoing crime in the Gaza Strip.
They warn that these policies are part of a broader Israeli project to permanently annex the West Bank, exploiting the international community's silence and preoccupation with other issues.
They believe that in the absence of effective accountability or international sanctions, Palestinians face existential challenges, with expectations of escalating settler violence and mass displacement to major cities or outside the Palestinian territories.

Well-studied settlement plans

Abdullah Abu Rahma, director of the Popular Action Department at the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, says there has been a dangerous escalation in the frequency of Israeli settler attacks on Palestinian lands in the West Bank. He asserts that these attacks are part of deliberate settlement plans agreed upon within the Israeli government coalition over the past two years.
Abu Rahma asserts that these attacks, which target villages, Bedouin communities, and agricultural lands, aim to displace Palestinians and impose full Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank, with unlimited financial, legal, and security support from the Israeli government and military.
Abu Rahma points out that statistics collected by the commission reveal a significant increase in attacks by settlers, the most recent of which were in the areas of Burqin, Kafr ad-Dik, and the Maghayer ad-Deir Bedouin community east of Ramallah, among approximately 30 Bedouin communities that were displaced after October 7, 2023.
Abu Rahma denies that these attacks are a response to resistance operations, as Israel claims, explaining that the attacks are occurring at the same pace in areas of the southern West Bank that have not witnessed resistance operations, confirming the existence of a systematic plan to expand settlements and seize control of land.


A full partnership between the army and the settlers
Abu Rahma asserts that these operations are carried out with direct support from the occupation army, which provides protection to the settlers and sometimes participates in the attacks. Furthermore, there is no accountability or legal prosecution of the attacking settlers.
Abu Rahma explains that the settlers, with the support of the Israeli occupation army, are working according to a strategy aimed at making life impossible for Palestinians by confiscating land, demolishing homes, bulldozing and burning crops, and establishing new settlement outposts around and even within villages.
Abu Rahma points out that these outposts, such as those recently established on the outskirts of Bruqin and between Ein Arik and Beitunia, are aimed at encroaching on the mountain range in the western West Bank, not just the eastern areas as was the case previously.
Abu Rahma asserts that settlers exploit any piece of land, even if it is a ruin declared "state land," to establish settlement outposts, preventing Palestinians from accessing their private lands nearby by imposing forbidden borders and building roads to secure these outposts.
Abu Rahma warns that these attacks are part of a comprehensive plan aimed at imposing Israeli sovereignty over Palestinian territories, supported by laws being rapidly passed in the Israeli Knesset, along with unlimited funding for settlement blocs and the legalization of illegal outposts.
Abu Rahma points out that these policies are part of a tactical context linked to the ongoing crimes in the Gaza Strip, where Israel is carrying out genocidal operations, while strategically focusing on controlling the West Bank.
Abu Rahma attributes the international community's silence to its preoccupation with internal issues, such as trade tensions and the war in Ukraine, in addition to its focus on the tragic events in Gaza.

The next situation will be more difficult.

Abu Rahma asserts that Israel is exploiting this preoccupation to intensify its violations without accountability, noting that the condemnations and denunciations from countries such as Britain, France, Canada, and the European Union do not rise to the level of practical steps, such as imposing effective sanctions or full recognition of a Palestinian state.
Abu Rahma believes the coming situation will be even more difficult, as Palestinians, a defenseless civilian population, face enormous challenges amid a fragile internal situation.
Abu Rahma points out that Palestinians who attempt to defend themselves face arrest, injury, or fines, further complicating the confrontation.
However, Abu Rahma affirms that popular resistance will continue, expressing optimism that popular efforts and pressure on the international community will contribute to thwarting these plans.
Abu Rahma asserts that Palestinians will confront these challenges with determination, considering the current situation an existential battle between "to be or not to be." He asserts that Palestinians "will be" and will confront these plans with all their strength, both popularly and officially, through engagement with the international community.

A clear Israeli program of ethnic cleansing

For his part, settlement affairs expert Dr. Khalil al-Tafakji says there has been a dangerous escalation in Israeli settler attacks on villages and Bedouin communities in the West Bank, describing them as part of a clear Israeli program of ethnic cleansing.
Al-Tafkaji explains that these attacks are carried out with direct official support from the Israeli government and army, with the aim of emptying Palestinian lands of their indigenous inhabitants to facilitate annexation and settlement expansion.
Al-Tafkji points out that the settlers are used as an implementation tool for the Israeli government's policies, as they enjoy significant material, moral, and military support.
Al-Tafkaji asserts that these attacks are not new, but rather the result of the presence of ideological settlers who believe that the Palestinian territories are "occupied" by Palestinians and that they are working to "liberate" them, pointing to the events in villages such as Bruqin and Kafr ad-Dik as examples of this systematic program.
Al-Tafkaji explains that the "Hebrew shepherd" phenomenon is one of the main tools in this battle, as settlers are leading the displacement of Bedouins and Palestinian communities, particularly in the Jordan Valley, with the goal of emptying the areas of their inhabitants, turning them into "empty lands" that facilitate the annexation process.

Planning and engineering teams for settlement expansion

Al-Tafakji asserts that these operations are being carried out in accordance with carefully considered Israeli plans, as planning and engineering teams have been allocated to expand the settlements, including the establishment of industrial zones such as the industrial zone near the Beit Sira checkpoint west of Ramallah, another industrial zone on the lands of Aboud, Al-Lubban Al-Gharbiya, and Rantis, as well as the expansion of an industrial zone in the Ariel settlement.
Al-Tafkaji asserts that current circumstances, including Arab silence and official European and American participation in marginalizing the Palestinian cause, provide a favorable environment for the implementation of these plans.
Al-Tafakji points out that talk of settling more than one million Israeli settlers in the West Bank is not new, but rather part of previous plans that are now being systematically implemented.
Al-Tafkaji warns of possible scenarios, which include either the displacement of Palestinians to major cities within the West Bank or outside it, with the aim of emptying rural and Bedouin areas of their inhabitants.
Al-Tafkaji asserts that the current battle falls on the shoulders of the Palestinians themselves in confronting this internationally supported settlement project.
According to Tafakji, this escalation is part of a long-term Israeli policy aimed at changing the demographic reality in the West Bank, raising concerns about a worsening humanitarian and political situation in the region.

Generous budgets for settlement organizations

For his part, Abdul Hadi Hantash, an expert on land and settlement affairs, emphasized the organized and supported nature of Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank, denying that their actions are random or capricious.
Hantash points out that the occupation government has begun allocating generous budgets to these terrorist settler organizations, which encourages them to increase their terrorist activities against Palestinians.
Hantash explains that the settlers are members of terrorist organizations that train in various forms of violence, considering it part of their ideology and daily life.
Hantash points out that there is close cooperation between settlers in the northern and southern West Bank, where many settlement outposts are established through coordination and joint contracts.
Hantash asserts that the Israeli occupation government is closely linked to the programs of these terrorist organizations, providing them with financial support and security protection, in addition to direct coordination between the political and security levels and the Yesha Council of Settlements.

The Hill Youth follow in the footsteps of Irgun and Stern

Hantash likens these operations to those carried out by Zionist terrorist organizations such as the Irgun and Stern Gang in 1947 and 1948, explaining that the only difference lies in the change in the names of these organizations, which are now known by names such as the "Hilltop Youth" and "Price Tag."
Hantash points out that the primary goal of these operations and attacks carried out by settlers is to seize as much Palestinian land as possible, as a prelude to annexing the West Bank and imposing Israeli law there, while expelling Palestinian residents from their areas.
Regarding the international community's inaction, Hantash explains that Israel has successfully marketed its narrative as a "state besieged by enemies," which gives it the right to defend itself. It has also exploited the "Semitic suffering" narrative to silence any international criticism, as world leaders fear possible accusations of anti-Semitism.
Hantash asserts that this propaganda has given Israel significant leverage, enabling it to control international reactions, allowing its violations to continue without accountability.
Hantash warns of an escalation in these terrorist operations aimed at changing the demographic landscape in the West Bank, emphasizing that the absence of a decisive international response exacerbates the situation and strengthens Israel's ability to implement its settlement and displacement plans.


An organized and intensive program to displace Palestinians

For his part, political science professor Dr. Amjad Bashkar warns of a dangerous escalation in Israeli settler attacks on Palestinian villages in the West Bank, as part of an organized and intensive program aimed at displacing Palestinians and expanding settlements at an accelerated pace.
Bashkar asserts that these attacks, which are organized and officially supported, are part of a clear Israeli plan to change the demographic reality in the region.
Bashkar explains that religious Zionism urges its supporters to launch attacks targeting Palestinian villages adjacent to cities, with the aim of forcing residents to flee to larger cities or outside the Palestinian territories.
Bashkar points out that this policy is being implemented with direct support from the Israeli government, led by the extreme right. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar justifies these attacks by claiming that Palestinians are the ones attacking settlers, calling for an escalation of these operations.
Bashkar asserts that the Israeli right, preparing for the October 2026 elections, is betting on escalating attacks against Palestinians to win voter support, relying on an extremist ideology that views the loss of Palestinian lives as "a means to ascend to heaven."
Bashkar points out that this policy is based on the Bezalel Smotrich plan, which was developed in 2017, and which focuses on settlement expansion as a strategic priority.

International community complicity

Bashkar warns against the international community's complicity, which has been limited to timid statements without taking any real action to deter the occupation or implement international law. He points out that this silence only strengthens Israel's ability to implement its plans without accountability.
Bashkar predicts that the coming period will witness catastrophic scenarios, including a mass exodus of Palestinians from villages to major cities, with the potential for an escalation of settler violence, such as the burning of homes and property, as has happened previously, but on a larger and more horrific scale.
Bashkar points out that the ultimate goal of this policy is to displace Palestinians from the West Bank to Jordan, and from the Gaza Strip to Egypt and other countries, a goal promoted by Israeli leaders, from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the most junior government official.
Bashkar asserts that these policies aim to empty the Palestinian territories of their indigenous population, warning that the situation could deteriorate to unprecedented levels of violence and displacement in the absence of a decisive international response.


Settler attacks are not random.

Nizar Nazzal, a researcher specializing in Israeli affairs and conflict issues, asserts that the increasing attacks carried out by settlers in the West Bank are not random, but rather part of a deliberate political project aimed at annexing Palestinian territories and eliminating the Palestinian cause once and for all.
Nazzal explains that these attacks, which are noticeably escalating, are being carried out under the supervision and support of Israeli Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who is considered the de facto ruler of the West Bank, in cooperation with settler militias spread across the West Bank.
Nazzal points out that these militias operate according to a systematic plan aimed at changing the demographic reality in Area C, which constitutes 63% of the West Bank.
Nazzal explains that the number of settlers in these areas is approximately 600,000, while the number of Palestinians does not exceed 160,000 to 200,000, meaning that settlers have become the demographic majority in these areas.
Nazzal asserts that this demographic change is part of an Israeli strategy aimed at imposing full Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank.

Killing the two-state solution and dismantling the political process

Nazzal explains that Area C, according to the Oslo Accords, is under full Israeli administrative and security control, while Area B is administratively under the Palestinian Authority and security under Israel, and Area A is administratively and security-wise under the Palestinian Authority. However, the reality today reveals a radical change, as Area B is effectively under Israeli security control, and Area A is subject to increasing Israeli security interventions, reflecting Israel's efforts to impose its full control over all areas of the West Bank.
Nazzal asserts that Israel prepared the legal groundwork for its project to impose control over the West Bank nearly two years ago by repealing the unilateral disengagement law of 2005.
Nazzal points out that these attacks are part of a broader political project aimed at completely annexing the West Bank, supported by prominent figures in the Israeli government such as Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, who play an active role in strengthening settler influence within the state.
Nazzal explains that the project's main objectives include killing the two-state solution, dismantling the Palestinian political process, and ending the Palestinian dream of establishing an independent political entity.

Declaration of Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank

Nazzal warns of a possible scenario in which Israel waits for the passage of certain legislation in the Knesset to present it to the US administration, as a prelude to declaring Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank.
Nazzal points to plans to build more than 45,000 housing units in the northern West Bank, particularly in Jenin, with the aim of attracting more settlers.
Nazzal explains that the current number of settlers is approximately 900,000, distributed across 256 settlements, with plans to bring in more than 1.2 million additional settlers. This will result in a population of approximately 2 million settlers compared to 3.2 million Palestinians, reinforcing the imposition of a fait accompli that paves the way for the annexation of Area C and the application of Israeli law to the West Bank in general.
Nazzal asserts that this project has the support of the United States, which puts the Palestinian cause at risk of liquidation.
Nazzal points out that Israel is now moving from managing the conflict to resolving it once and for all without transforming it into a political settlement. He warns that these moves threaten to dismantle the Palestinian National Authority and end any hope of establishing a Palestinian state.
Nazzal asserts that the international community's suspicious silence and disregard for Israeli militia violations are exacerbating the situation, posing unprecedented existential challenges to Palestinians.

Displacement of Palestinians and seizure of their lands

For his part, writer and political analyst Samer Anabtawi warns of an expected and organized escalation in Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank, describing them as part of a clear Zionist plan aimed at ending Palestinian life in many areas.
Anbatawi explains that these attacks, which have increased significantly in frequency, aim to displace Palestinians and seize their lands for settlement expansion.
Anbatawi points out that settlers operate within organized groups, supported by the Israeli military, targeting villages that witness or are located near any resistance activity, with the aim of forcing their residents to pay the "price" for resistance through attacks and the destruction of crops.
Anbatawi asserts that these operations aim to force Palestinians to migrate to major cities or outside the Palestinian territories, facilitating the control of land and the replacement of the indigenous population with settlers.

The settler army receives funding, arms and training.

Anbatawi explains that the "settler army" has long received funding, weapons, training, and ideological support, in coordination with Israeli political and security officials.
Anbatawi points out that this support aims to transform the Palestinian issue into a conflict between "citizens" and settlers, as part of a strategy that makes life impossible for Palestinians by targeting villages, Bedouins, and agricultural crops.
Anbatawi warns that the settler attacks are part of the Zionist project of destruction, which seeks to annihilate the Gaza Strip and seize lands in the West Bank.
Anbatawi expects that the coming period will witness a further escalation of these operations, with continued political and security support for the settlers, with the goal of displacing Palestinians and imposing complete control over the land.