Settler attacks surge across West Bank

Israeli settlers have launched over 1,400 attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank in 2026 alone, causing casualties and property damage. The violence is accelerating as October elections approach.

Defense minister proposes police takeover

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has suggested police take control of the West Bank. The police are overseen by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a settler himself known for celebrating attacks on Palestinians.

Retired colonel protects Palestinian villages

Doron Meinert, a retired Israeli Defense Forces colonel, was arrested this month while defending a Palestinian community under attack. He volunteers with Looking the Occupation in the Eye, an Israeli group working to stop settler violence.

Twenty-five years in the Israeli military

Meinert served as a brigade commander and staff officer for 25 years before retiring 15 years ago. He then began volunteering to protect Palestinians in the West Bank, initially focusing on safeguarding olive harvests.

Why he chose this work

Meinert believed the Palestinian occupation was Israel's deepest problem. After retiring, he decided to act by documenting settler violence and bringing it to Israeli public attention through media and protests.

How protection work actually happens

Volunteers position themselves between settlers and Palestinians, staying 24/7 in villages. They document attacks with cameras, call police and army when needed, and help with basic services like water and electricity.

“we are staying there twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and when the settlers attack, we try to stand between them and the Palestinians”

Settlers aim to ethnically cleanse villages

Settlers use violence to expel Palestinians from their homes, starting with attacks on village outskirts and working inward. They also use the Israeli legal system and other methods to force Palestinians out.

“The settlers are trying to ethnically cleanse the Palestinians in lots of ways, and one of them is with violence”

Volunteers face regular harassment

Meinert and his group endure spitting, pushing, kicking, and tear gas. Five years ago, 15 settlers beat Meinert severely, breaking bones and requiring surgery. But daily harassment is more common than serious violence.

“They spit on us, they push us, they kick us. Sometimes they spray tear gas in our faces”

Violence escalated after 2022 election

The most right-wing government in Israeli history took power in November 2022. Violence intensified further after the Gaza war began in October 2023, with most settler expulsions happening after October 7th.

Recent months show dramatic escalation

In the last two to three months, violence has reached a new level. Settlers are rushing to change facts on the ground before October elections, hoping to prevent any two-state solution regardless of which government wins.

“They are trying to achieve as much as they can, because they want to prevent any hope of a two-state solution”

Settlers moving from Area C to Area B

Under the Oslo Accord, the West Bank is divided into three areas. Settlers previously focused on Area C, where Israel has full control. Now they're attacking Area B villages with up to 5,000 residents, where Palestinian authorities handle daily needs but Israel controls security.

Strategy to provoke Palestinian violence

In large villages, settlers hope Palestinians will attack the army, prompting a Gaza-style military response. Settlers build settlements near villages and attack residents, trying to force them to react violently.

Military actively helps settlers, not stands aside

The Israeli military doesn't stand by neutrally. It provides settlers with money, roads, and access to closed military zones. Meinert was arrested in a closed zone while settlers were allowed to destroy Palestinian water infrastructure.

“Most of the military support the settlers. Most of the government, of course, does. But also the army and the police. They do not stand aside. They help them”

Meinert arrested in closed military zone

When Meinert tried to stop settlers from destroying a Palestinian water well, the army arrested him but left the settlers free to damage the infrastructure. A higher court later ruled the arrest was wrong, but the army ignored the decision.

International law says military must protect

Under international law and Israeli law, the military is responsible for protecting occupied populations. The Israeli Defense Forces Central Command leader has full responsibility for the West Bank and should enforce this duty.

Police takeover would make things worse

Transferring control to police under Ben-Gvir would give settlers free rein and make police much tougher on activists like Meinert. However, Meinert believes the military will resist this proposal.

Army duty has changed since the 1990s

In the early 1990s, the Israeli military tried to prevent settler violence and protect Palestinian rights, even while fighting terrorism. Meinert says there's been a dramatic shift in how the army approaches its occupation duties.

Fellow soldiers support the work

Many of Meinert's former military colleagues think his protection work is important and oppose settler violence. However, not all agree that the military itself is part of the larger problem.

Palestinians desperate for help

Palestinians are increasingly worried and calling for protection, but Meinert's group cannot help everyone. Many are brave families unwilling to abandon their homes despite the violence and danger.

“Many of them are very brave. They are not violent people. They have families. And they don't want to give up their homes”