257 incidents of settler violence carried out against Palestinians in 25 days, says watchdog

The Yesh Din organization says there have been 257 incidents of extremist settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank in the 25 days since the war with Iran began, and accuses the state of supporting the violence due to what it describes as minimal efforts by security services to prevent it or bring those responsible to justice.

These attacks include assault, damage to property and land seizures against 116 Palestinian villages, towns and communities.

Yesh Din, which tracks settler violence, notes that the last week has witnessed incidents of “mass violence” in which large numbers of settler extremists have participated in assaults against dozens of Palestinian towns and villages.

It notes that settler extremists have shot dead six Palestinians since the war with Iran began, and that as far as the group is aware, no suspects have been arrested.

The organization says its figures are based on cross-referenced public statements and reports from different sources.

“Behind the ‘dry’ figure of more than 10 incidents per day, there are the Palestinian victims of violence who the security forces and law enforcement authorities have completely abandoned, and who remain defenseless and without justice,” Yesh Din says.

“The pogroms we saw last week, in which dozens and perhaps even hundreds of people participated, received minimal enforcement activity from the authorities — both in advance preparation [for the attacks], during the disturbances and in law enforcement afterwards,” the organization adds. “All of this points to a systematic policy of state support for violence and, in fact, of support for expulsion and ethnic cleansing.”