Israeli rights groups says settlers rioting in West Bank with military’s ‘full cooperation’
B’Tselem says Israeli settlers who are attacking Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are acting in “full cooperation with the Israeli army”.
In a post on X, B’Tselem said that while the ceasefire progressed, the settlers’ motives were clear: “to impose a ‘price tag’ for the release of Palestinians from Israeli prisons”.
As we reported earlier, B’Tselem noted the violence has already led to a 15-year-old boy being shot and killed by Israeli soldiers in Sebastia on Sunday.
Last night, settlers, backed, escorted, and with full cooperation with the Israeli army, attacked Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
In Sabastiya, a 15-year-old boy was shot and killed by soldiers. In Sinjil, six Palestinians were injured by Molotov cocktails, and in… pic.twitter.com/I4iEVqqiSv
— B'Tselem בצלם بتسيلم (@btselem) January 20, 2025
Israeli forces block Palestinians from entering or leaving West Bank cities and towns
Israeli soldiers have set up military checkpoints and closed roads, preventing Palestinians from entering or leaving cities, towns and villages across the occupied West Bank, Palestinian media reports.
According to Palestinian media, Israeli forces have:
- Closed all entrances to Hebron.
- Closed all entrances to Qalqilya.
- Closed all entrances to the city of Salfit as well as several towns and villages in the Salfit governorate.
- Are closing all entrances to Bethlehem.
According to the Wafa news agency, Israeli soldiers fired live bullets and tear gas at Palestinians who attempted to approach at least some of the military checkpoints.
Palestinian houses, cars, business burned in latest settler violence across West Bank
There are reports of Israeli settlers carrying out attacks and acts of aggression against Palestinian communities across the occupied West Bank, as well as Israeli forces arresting dozens of Palestinians.
Here’s what we know so far about the settler attacks:
- Palestinian authorities in Jinsafut and Funduq, two villages roughly 70km (43 miles) north of Jerusalem, said that dozens of Israeli settlers attacked homes and a local businesses.
- In Jinsafut, three Palestinian houses, a nursery and a carpentry shop located on the village’s main road were set on fire.
- In Funduq, dozens of Israeli settlers fired shots, threw stones at homes and burned cars, homes and shops.
- The Palestine Red Crescent Society said it treated 12 people who were beaten by settlers during the attacks on the villages.
- Nine people were also treated for inhaling toxic gas after Israeli forces stormed the Palestinian villages that were under settler attack.
- Israel’s military said it dispersed the settlers and launched an investigation but made no mention of damage inflicted, injuries to local Palestinian people, or arresting any of the attackers.
- Settlers stormed a house in the Masafer Yatta area near Hebron and attacked Palestinian-owned vehicles near the town of Tuqu’, southeast of Bethlehem, and in Dura city, southwest of Hebron, according to the Wafa news agency.
- Wafa also reports that a group of settlers, protected by Israeli security forces, gathered near the village of Burqa, east of Ramallah, and placed nails on the road to puncture vehicles entering and leaving the Palestinian community.
- Settlers gangs also gathered near the village of Kafr Malek and Ein Siniya, near Ramallah, hindering the movement of Palestinian citizens.
Trump revokes sanctions on ‘extremist’ Israeli settlers in occupied West Bank
US President Donald Trump has signed an order to reverse US sanctions on Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, which the former Biden White House described as part of the “extremist settlement movement”.
According to the new White House website, Trump revoked Biden’s Executive Order 14115 signed on February 1, 2024, which sanctioned David Chai Chasdai, Einan Tanjil and Yinon Levi, three Israeli settlers accused of assaulting and intimidating Palestinians, and Shalom Zickerman, who is accused of assaulting Israeli peace activists.
The Biden administration had sanctioned 33 individuals and entities in the West Bank as of December 2024.
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