Israeli Settler Attacks on Palestinians Reach Unacceptable Level

Israeli soldiers in the West Bank. (Wikimedia Commons/Justin McIntosh)

JAKARTA - The United Nations Human Rights Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory said on Thursday that attacks and arbitrary actions by Israeli settlers against Palestinian homes had reached an intolerable level.

The office urged Israeli authorities to crack down on settlers who use violence against thousands of Palestinians, illegally confiscate Palestinian land, and expand Israeli settlements.

The statement from the office said that the establishment of an outpost of the Israeli settlement near Qusra, south of Nablus, in the West Bank in November 2025 was followed by settler actions that took over the area west of the village - which is included in Area B - as well as an increase in attacks on Palestinians.

These attacks include house invasions, physical violence, vandalism, theft, and arson, including an attack on a local mosque.

The office said one of the most serious cases of settler violence occurred last July, when settlers from a forward post in the Ras al-Ain area, Qusra, cut off the water and electricity supply to three nearby Palestinian homes, according to WAFA (14/8).

On August 9, the settlers closed all gates and road access to the houses, set up tents between the houses, and prevented residents from entering and leaving the area.

As a result, three Palestinian families consisting of around 15 people - including at least two children - were trapped inside their homes in fear and unable to meet basic needs or access water and electricity.

According to the office, the families had asked the Israeli police who were at the location to intervene, but the police did not respond.

Israeli forces also appeared to obstruct medical workers, solidarity activists, and journalists from reaching the families.

Video footage showed soldiers praying with settlers at the scene, the office said. On August 12, soldiers did dismantle the settlers' tents, but did not remove the settlers themselves, who continued to surround the houses until Thursday.

Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Office said the criminal acts committed by the settlers - with the support or tacit blessing of Israel as the occupying power - had made the lives of the Palestinian families very miserable and clearly aimed at forcing them to leave their homes and land.

The office warned that time was running out for the three families amid the risk of forced eviction.

The office noted that the International Court of Justice has confirmed that all Israeli settlements are illegal and that Israel must stop all settlement activities, evacuate all settlers - including those who terrorize Palestinians in Qusra and Jalud - and end its illegal presence in the West Bank.

His party emphasized that while waiting for further steps, Israel must comply with its obligations under international law to ensure the safety of Palestinian residents, including by preventing and investigating attacks by settlers illegally residing in the West Bank, and ensuring accountability for all parties involved in committing, supporting, or allowing such attacks, including by imposing commensurate sanctions for the violations committed.