Key facts
- A UN inquiry found Israeli forces directly involved in settler attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank.
- Israeli security forces provided protection and support to settlers during these attacks.
- Settler violence against Palestinians has intensified sharply since the war on Gaza began in 2023.
- The UN report documented a 130% increase in attacks on Palestinian villages and agricultural land since 2023.
- The UN commission stated that Israeli authorities enable attacks through financial and military support, and grant impunity.
- Israeli settlers attacked the village of Taybeh, setting agricultural fields ablaze.
A United Nations inquiry has found that Israeli forces are directly involved in settler attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, providing protection and support. The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory detailed systematic rights violations by Israeli forces, settlers, and Hamas.
The report highlighted a sharp escalation in settler violence since the war on Gaza began in 2023, with attacks on Palestinian villages and agricultural land increasing by 130%. The commission stated that Israeli authorities enable these attacks through financial and military support, while judicial and law enforcement bodies grant settlers impunity.
In one recent incident, Israeli settlers attacked the historic Christian village of Taybeh, east of Ramallah, setting fire to agricultural fields. Taybeh has been a repeated target of settler attacks, including an arson attack on its historic Church of Saint George last year. The village has a predominantly Christian population, many of whom rely on raising sheep for their livelihood.