European nations, Canada call on Israel to crack down on settler violence, allow Palestinians who fled Maghar al-Deir homes to return

A group of European countries, Canada, and the European Union issue a joint call for Israel to crack down on settler violence against Palestinians and to allow the return of Palestinians who fled their homes after repeated harassment by Israeli extremists.

Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, and the EU stress their “strong solidarity” with Maghar al-Deir, whose residents abandoned the hamlet last month after settlers established an outpost nearby and began assaulting them.

The countries “urge the Israeli authorities to dismantle the outpost immediately and to take urgent and effective measures to enable the safe return of displaced residents. It is imperative that the community is protected from further violence and intimidation.”

According to the statement, the Maghar al-Deir incident is part of a “broader pattern of displacement in Area C of the West Bank.”

Area C is where Israel maintains both military and administrative control, and where the Israeli settlements are located.

The joint statement decries “a coercive environment marked by repeated settler violence, movement restrictions, land confiscation, demolitions and inadequate access to essential services.”

“We call on Israel to respect its obligations under international law, including the prohibition of forcible transfer,” the countries say. “We also reaffirm our clear and consistent opposition to settlements, which are illegal under international law. We emphasise Israel’s responsibility to protect all Palestinian communities in Area C.”

Last week, the High Court of Justice urged the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Police to ensure that the residents of the nearby Palestinian Bedouin hamlet Wadi as-Seeq, who fled in the face of persistent settler violence in October 2023, could return home.