Israeli Forces Escalate West Bank Raids Amid Settler Violence

Israeli forces conducted widespread raids and arrests across the West Bank on Saturday, coinciding with a surge in settler attacks against Palestinians and their property. The military operations and accelerated settlement activities signal a continuous escalation in the region.

In the northern West Bank, Israeli troops entered the towns of Al-Nazla Al-Sharqiya and Qaffin near Tulkarm, deploying military vehicles and conducting searches without making arrests, according to local sources. In the Bethlehem governorate, forces raided the towns of Tuqu and Beit Fajjar, while six Palestinians were arrested in Qabatiya, south of Jenin. This follows an announcement by the Israeli military the previous day of arresting five Palestinians from Qabatiya, who they claimed were part of a cell planning attacks. On Friday, Israeli forces also seized approximately 7.5 dunams of land in Qabatiya, raising concerns about ongoing land confiscation and expansion of Israeli control.

Settler violence also intensified across the West Bank, targeting Palestinian homes and lands in the governorates of Bethlehem, Ramallah, Nablus, and the Jordan Valley. On Friday evening, Palestinians were injured during an attack by Israeli forces and settlers on a home near Bethlehem. Settlers also attacked Palestinians in Khirbet Al-Hamma in the northern Jordan Valley and erected a settlement tent, attacking a home in the village of Umm Safa, north of Ramallah.

In Nablus, the escalation follows a nearly 48-hour Israeli military operation in the city, Askar camp, and surrounding towns. The Israeli military stated it arrested over ten Palestinians and destroyed more than 30 lathes, claiming they were used for manufacturing weapons. Palestinian sources reported that large forces raided Askar camp, searched homes, and conducted field interrogations as part of a broad security campaign.

Meanwhile, three Palestinian families remain under siege in the Ras Al-Ain area of Qusra, south of Nablus, with the Israeli army preventing access for residents and solidarity activists, declaring the area a closed military zone. The mayor of Qusra stated that military checkpoints are hindering the delivery of food and medicine to the besieged families, amid settler attempts to control the area.

These developments coincide with accelerated land seizure and settlement expansion. Amnesty International has documented an increase in orders to seize Palestinian land, including areas designated as 'Area A,' which are under the administrative control of the Palestinian Authority. Peace Now reported that these orders are unprecedented since the Oslo Accords, as they target Area A lands for civilian settlement purposes rather than declared security reasons.