West Bank raids and settler violence draw UN condemnation as arrests mount

Israeli forces have conducted a wide-scale military operation across the occupied West Bank, arresting nearly 50 Palestinians and raiding approximately 70 homes in the village of Tal. The crackdown, described by Israel’s military as extensive, was ordered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz following a shooting incident on Friday near the illegal Havat Gilad settlement. The attack resulted in the deaths of two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinians, with three others wounded.

The military deployment extended beyond Tal to include raids in Jenin, Tubas, Far’a, Far’ata, and the Aqbat Jabr refugee camp in Jericho. In Tubas, soldiers arrived in large convoys and targeted several neighbourhoods for approximately three hours. In Far’ata, east of Qalqilya, at least eight Palestinians were injured during the incursions. Footage from Quds News Network captured blindfolded men being led away by soldiers, underscoring the scale of the detention efforts.

Concurrent with the military raids, Israeli settlers have launched attacks on Palestinian communities in the Nablus governorate, setting fire to homes and property. Rights activist Ubai Al Aboudi reported that a week prior to the current violence, on 18 July, settlers burned a family house with the occupants still inside in Tal. Al Aboudi described these incidents as systemic and carried out with complete impunity, noting that so-called “hikers” have repeatedly targeted villages across the region.

The shooting in Tal remains disputed, with footage showing a Palestinian man seizing a gun from a settler before fatally shooting him, after which Israeli soldiers killed the Palestinian. Three other Palestinians were also killed in the incident. Due to restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities, funerals for the victims were held overnight, with only a limited number of residents permitted to attend.

International reaction has been sharp, with UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese condemning the violence as “pogroms” against defenseless civilians. Albanese accused Israeli civilians and the army of joining forces in the attacks and called for an immediate arms embargo and halt to trade with Israel under international law. Human Rights Watch also urged the Israeli government to stop state-backed settler violence and escalating military action, warning that years of lawlessness have turned the West Bank into a volatile environment.

Since the Gaza war began in October 2023, the Palestinian Health Ministry reports that at least 1,094 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli soldiers or settlers. In 2026 alone, at least 87 Palestinians have been killed in attacks across the West Bank, with 21 attributed to settlers. Critics argue that the rhetoric of far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, combined with a lack of international pressure on Israel’s siege of Gaza, has emboldened settler violence.

Human Rights Watch acting Israel and Palestine researcher Sarah Sanbar stated that the Israeli government failed to prevent the settler attacks on Tal and must now stop the reprisals that exacerbate the situation. Sanbar emphasized that decisive action is urgently needed to address the impunity that has characterised the region for years. The current escalation highlights the deepening security crisis in the occupied territories as tensions continue to rise.