West Bank sees surge in violence as settler-army lines blur.
Violence in the West Bank has risen, with human rights groups alleging growing collaboration between Israeli settlers and the army.
Palestinians and NGOs say the distinction between the two sides, which was thin earlier, has been erased – bolstered by the pro-settlement government in power.
The UN recorded over 1,000 settler attacks in 2023’s first six months, twice the monthly rate last year. Israeli group Yesh Din, too, called it a peak year.
Settlers, sometimes in army fatigues, attack Palestinians and steal livestock with soldiers often watching, as per accounts.
In April, hundreds of settlers stabbed a Palestinian in Duma after an Israeli in a nearby outpost was found dead. The army later arrested a villager for the murder.
Troops accompany settlers for “security” during raids on Palestinian villages, officials said. Over 4,90,000 Israelis reside illegally in West Bank settlements as per international law alongside 3 million Palestinians.
Expansion of settlements has accelerated under Netanyahu’s government. 537 Palestinians died this year by forces or settlers, Palestinian data shows.
Peace seems distant as violence rises amid claims of coordination between soldiers and settlers on occupied West Bank lands.
