Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank hinder Palestinians’ right to freedom of movement and fundamental rights and endanger their lives
In light of the Israeli occupation authorities’ continued attacks on Palestinian citizens in the West Bank, especially the violation of their right to freedom of movement and their right to life and physical safety, the Center for Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights “Hurryyat” strongly condemns the actions of the settlers and the occupation army that amount to war crimes, as the West Bank has witnessed a significant increase in killings, abuse and torture, since the beginning of the year.
Taking advantage of the world’s preoccupation with the military aggression against the Gaza Strip, Israeli settlers have been intensifying their attacks in the West Bank, making external roads and areas adjacent and close to the settlements traps for endangering and abusing Palestinians.
These attacks carried by settlers under the protection of the occupation army have greatly hindered the right to freedom of movement of Palestinian citizens. Since October 7th, Israel has imposed severe restrictions on freedom of movement to and from the West Bank, completely isolating it from the 1948 areas and from Eastern Jerusalem. Israel has closed the Karama crossing and reduced its working hours in several instances, completely preventing the movement of Palestinians. It has also imposed a curfew on residents of (H2) areas in the city of Hebron as collective punishment, and set up hundreds of permanent and flying military checkpoints with the aim of isolating and separating cities, villages and camps in the West Bank, separating the north of the West Bank from its south, and turning them into isolated population islands, with the aim of protecting the settlers and facilitating their movement on the main roads.
In the same context, the Bedouin and pastoral population groups have been displaced towards areas classified as “A”, and farmers have been from reaching their lands and agricultural fields, as citizens lost more than 50% of this year’s olive season harvest. In some areas, such as the village of Kafr Qaddum, citizens were unable to harvest olives from approximately (10,000) trees. In other areas, citizens were not completely able to reach the olive fields adjacent to the settlements or located behind the annexation and apartheid wall.
Through these policies, the occupying state is working to create a new demographic and geographic reality in favor of the settlers, aiming to impose forced displacement on the Palestinians in order to expel them from their lands, in clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution No. (2334), which states that Israeli settlements constitute a “flagrant violation of international law.” “, and that all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, must “stop immediately and completely.”
Israel continues its killing of Palestinians. Since the beginning of this year up until today, the number of martyrs in the West Bank has reached (506), including (262) after October 7th, and the last of them is the martyr Ahmed Assi, who was martyred by settlers’ bullets on December 2nd, 2023 in Qarawat Bani Hassan. The occupation army has also intensified its daily incursions into villages, cities and camps and escalated the repressive arrest campaigns that have affected more than 3,500 citizens who are subjected to abuse and torture during detention and inside prisons.
Israel is working to impose and maintain its system of apartheid, and settlers are key players in achieving this. Israel has armed settlers heavily without restrictions, in full view of the world, providing them with the tools to commit crimes against Palestinian civilians and their properties, while also granting them support and protection. This is all done in an attempt to destroy the lives of Palestinians on all aspects, by deliberately subjecting them to inhumane living conditions that violate their rights. All of these practices constitute crimes that amount to forced displacement.
Violating and restricting the right to freedom of movement has a wide and significant negative impact on other rights of Palestinians, most notably the right to life, the right to health care, the right to education, the right to work, social communication, and living in dignity. Settler attacks also affect Palestinian civilians and their property. Cutting off roads has caused huge losses to the Palestinian economy, as many economic establishments were forced to close completely or partially, resulting in hundreds losing their sources of livelihood. The town of Huwwara is considered a shining example of these violations.
The continuation of these actions by the settlers and the occupation army, which have increased in frequency after the seventh of October, worsens the situation and threatens a widespread explosion in the West Bank. Therefore, the Center for Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights “Hurryyat” calls on the international community and countries that have condemned the crimes of the settlers, to intervene to stop these violations and by doing more than just denouncing them, but rather holding the occupying power fully responsible for its actions and the actions of its citizens (the settlers), which amount to war crimes. This requires immediately launching an international criminal investigation into the officials of the occupying state committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, and taking concrete steps in this regard to confront the settlement policy and stop these attacks once and for all.