Escalation of Settler Attacks in the West Bank: Attacks in Abu Falah and Seizure of Homes in Jalud

Dozens of Israeli settlers attacked a peaceful march that included dozens of Palestinians and foreign solidarity activists in the town of Abu Falah in the occupied West Bank. The attackers used pepper spray and severe beatings to prevent participants from reaching their agricultural lands, which settlers have banned access to for nearly a year and a half.

This event comes as part of repeated attempts by residents to break the settlement blockade imposed on the area and reclaim ownership of their confiscated lands. The assault resulted in varying injuries and severe suffocation cases due to toxic gas among a number of participants, including international solidarity activists.

Nazem Saleh, head of Abu Falah municipality, confirmed that the purpose of the march was to accompany farmers to their productive lands, which had been subjected to burning and tree cutting during the ban period. He explained that this policy directly aims to push landowners to abandon their land in preparation for its complete seizure for settlement expansion.

For his part, settlement resistance activist Munther Amira stressed that persistence in accessing land represents the first line of defense to protect it from confiscation. He pointed out that the continued deprivation of Palestinians from utilizing their lands threatens to turn them into vital areas of influence for the surrounding settlements.

In a related context, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich boasted about the accelerating pace of settlement, announcing the establishment of 160 new settlement farms. He also revealed the government's approval for the establishment of more than 100 additional settlements deep in the West Bank, reflecting an official trend to support these violations.

The attacks were not limited to Abu Falah but extended to the Abu Anjim area south of Bethlehem, where sources reported that occupation forces assaulted worshippers during Friday prayers. Field documentation showed soldiers brandishing their weapons and firing tear gas canisters at unarmed worshippers.

In the Masafer Yatta area, residents of Khirbet al-Hums performed Friday prayers on their lands threatened with confiscation in a clear defiance of the occupation mechanisms that surrounded the place. These protest steps come in response to continuous attempts to restrict shepherds and farmers in areas classified as 'C'.

Another attack occurred in the town of Turmus Ayya north of Ramallah, where settlers set fire to large areas of agricultural land belonging to Palestinians. These scenes are repeated in the southern Hebron, where residents are subjected to physical assaults and systematic destruction of crops, wells, and springs.

In the village of Jalud, settlers seized a two-story house belonging to citizen Mohammed Salameh, despite his legal attempts and appeals to the relevant authorities. The targeted house is surrounded by a group of settlement outposts that are constantly expanding at the expense of private citizens' property.

Raed Haj Mohammed, head of the village council in Jalud, described the incident as a serious and unprecedented escalation targeting houses that are still under construction. He pointed out that settlers have positioned themselves very close to the heart of the village, threatening the security and daily stability of the residents.

UN data indicates that settler attacks have seen a qualitative leap of 130% since the beginning of 2023, reflecting the absence of legal deterrence. Currently, about half a million settlers live in illegal settlements under international law, amid increasing international pressure to stop these policies.

The Fourth Geneva Convention considers the construction of settlements and the transfer of civilian populations to occupied territories a grave breach of international law and an obstacle to peace. Despite international condemnations, including statements from Israel's allies, settlement expansion continues to devour more Palestinian lands daily.

According to official Palestinian data, attacks by the army and settlers since October 8, 2023, have resulted in the martyrdom of 1,175 Palestinians and the injury of thousands more. Approximately 24,000 citizens have also been arrested and 33,000 displaced from their homes in various governorates of the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Observers warn that these systematic attacks aim to impose a new reality on the ground that paves the way for the annexation of large parts of the West Bank. Through this policy, the occupation seeks to undermine any future opportunity for the establishment of an independent and geographically contiguous Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.

Accessing the land, despite the assault, represents a step to protect it from confiscation and seizure amidst the escalation of systematic attacks.