Settlers alleged to have ignited a devastating fire in the West Bank, leading to the fatal burning of a Palestinian man.
The West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, has witnessed a surge in settler violence over the past year. This escalation coincides with the Gaza war initiated by Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel.
In the Christian village of Taybeh, extremist Israeli settlers have launched nighttime attacks, disregarding calls for peaceful treatment and investigations. Similarly, the village of Silwad has faced a series of violent attacks, with settlers threatening residents with death, vandalizing property, and cutting off the water supply to the community. Khamis Abdel-Latif Ayad, a 40-year-old resident of Silwad, lost his life due to smoke inhalation caused by fires set by settlers. Raafat Hussein Hamed, another resident, reported that his house was torched in a recent attack.
These attacks are not isolated incidents. Over the first half of 2025, there were over 740 settler attacks across more than 200 Palestinian communities, resulting in injuries and property damage. The UN has documented 757 settler attacks with Palestinian casualties or property damage, marking a 13% increase over the previous year.
The Israeli military has acknowledged that several suspects set fire to property and vehicles in the Silwad area, but have been unable to identify them. The settlers responsible for these attacks come from outpost settlements, which are wildcat settlements that are illegal under Israeli law.
Israeli soldiers, according to the Palestinian Authority, have fired live bullets and tear gas at unarmed Palestinian civilians who tried to defend their communities. The Israeli military operates in the West Bank, but all settlements there are considered illegal under international law.
Since the start of the Gaza war, Israeli security forces and settlers have reportedly killed at least 966 Palestinians, including civilians and militants, according to the Palestinian Authority. Earlier this month, the village of Taybeh, southeast of Silwad, reported two arson attacks by Israeli settlers.
These troubling developments have led to calls for impartial investigations by neutral parties. The international community must take action to ensure peace and justice in the West Bank, upholding the rule of law and respect for human rights for all its inhabitants.
[1] UN OCHA, "Settler Violence: Overview and Data", accessed 2025-06-01 [2] B'Tselem, "Statistics: Israeli Violence in the West Bank", accessed 2025-06-01 [3] Middle East Eye, "Israeli settlers torch homes in Christian village of Taybeh", accessed 2025-06-01 [4] Al Jazeera, "Israeli settlers torch homes, vehicles in West Bank village of Silwad", accessed 2025-06-01
- The surge in settler violence in the West Bank, as seen in Silwad and Taybeh, raises concerns about the protection of Palestinian communities' health and general news, and highlights the need for politics and crime-and-justice agencies to intervene.
- The escalating settler attacks, resulting in property damage, injuries, and even deaths, such as Khamis Abdel-Latif Ayad and Raafat Hussein Hamed in Silwad, underscores the need for international investigations in politics and a call to action from the general-news sector, emphasizing the importance of upholding human rights and the rule of law in the region's crime-and-justice discourse.
