West Bank's settler violence problem is a second sign that Israel's policy of ignoring Palestinians' drive for a homeland isn't a long-term solution
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
W ith violence and destruction raging in southern Israel and Gaza, there has been less attention on the worsening violence in the West Bank , the other half of the occupied territories.
Since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, and the onset of Israel’s war in Gaza, Israelis and Palestinians have been thrust back into the headlines. Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis on Oct. 7 and took more than 200 hostages; Israelis have killed at least 11,000 Palestinians in a response that has sparked a debate about whether what the world is witnessing amounts to war crimes, ethnic cleansing or genocide.
Before Oct. 7, West Bank Palestinians were already experiencing the highest level of settler violence since 2006.
Israeli settlers, empowered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government, have increased their attacks on and harassment of Palestinian rural communities since the start of the war. This is often done with the backing of the Israeli military , as Israeli soldiers stand guard, preventing a Palestinian response. Sometimes, the attacks take place with the military’s involvement .
The United Nations has recorded over 200 settler attacks in the past month. The Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem reports that since the start of the war, 16 villages and their 880 Palestinian residents have been completely displaced as a result of these attacks; 180 Palestinians have been killed and 64 injured. Over 2,000 Palestinians have been arrested . Videos of their mistreatment and torture have gone viral.
The escalation of violence in the West Bank is neither arbitrary nor disconnected from the violence in Gaza. Instead, as a political scientist who studies Palestinian politics , I believe it should be understood in the broader context. The proliferation of armed settlers in the West Bank, the expansion of illegal settler outposts and now the increasing violence and forced displacement all stem from the same underlying policy that led to the 16-year blockade of Gaza: an Israeli policy of ignoring Palestinian national claims altogether.
This policy disregards political solutions and pursues violent ones. The policy has not just taken hold in Israel but has been facilitated by American and Arab support.
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IMO, the attacks in the West Bank by the ''settlers'' backed by Netanyahu and the current government will be destructive to Israel in the long run.
seems the religious extremists in the israeli gov't are no different than the terrorists they're trying to kill off.
Correct!
And, for example, the treatment of gays by Israel is much worse than the way gays are treated in Gaza.
Are you saying "gays" are treated well by Hamas?
N0-- just the opposite. Their traditional method of dealing with gays is to throw them off the roofs of high buildings.
Israel OTOH is more accepting of peoples' sexual orientation than most countries on Earth.
Your ongoing dislike of Netanyahu and the alleged "right wing" government of Israel is duly noted, as is your sympathy for the Palestinians.
I feel safe in saying that the settlers are there to stay, regardless of whoever holds the reins of power in Israel. The Palestinians need to learn to get along with the settlers, since no other Arab country wants anything to do with them.
There's a saying going around, the source is uncertain...
"If Palestinian terrorists disarmed, the conflict would end & they’d have their own country."
Yes, I dislike Netanyahu and the right-wing government. As do the majority of Israelis as polls done in Israel show on a consistent basis.
A few points here Gregg, yes, I have sympathy for innocent Palestinians, especially for those and the Bedouins in the West Bank which the Israeli government and the so called settlers are illegally driving from their homes and in some instances killing. I have also stated that I support what Israel is doing in Gaza, if you can find anything different that I've written please post it or STFU.
Do you have any idea of what you're talking about? If Israel wins (whatever that means) are they going to occupy Gaza for the next 1000 years? The last time was a failure and this time will turn out no better. A solution has to be found that both can exist with wars. Do you think that they will finally drive out the Palestinians and Bedouins from the West Bank illegally? If they do what do you think will happen? Everyone will live happily ever after?
Let's hear your idea's if you have any>
As do I, but I have even more sympathy for civilians in Sudan, Burkina Faso, Myanmar and many other places not discuss here or in US media. These other people need to hire Hamas’ press agency.
The last time the Israelis withdrew from Gaza-- it was their decision. No one pressured them-- it was their decision. (Although Israelis were split on whether they should withdraw-- or stay in their homes in Gaza).
They asked Egypt if they would come back in when Israel left-- the Egyptians refused!
By that time some Israelis had homes there-- and schools, synagogues and other infrastructure. Also amazing greenhouses. They didn't want to leave. But the Israeli government forced them out.
Here is what is perhaps the coverage I've seen of the 'Net-- and how Israeli soldiers forced out Israelis who wanted to stay. Lots of photos as well.
Exodus From Gaza - The forcible evacuation of August 2005
The Israelis built up an amazing industry from their greenhouses-- which they left for the Palestinians after they totally withdrew from Gaza.
Photos: Jewish children at a greenhouse in the Gadid settlement the week before the handover.
The Jewish settlers in Gaza had built some of the most state-of-the-art agricultural facilities in the world, exporting flowers, fruit and vegetables to Europe and elsewhere, and employing thousands of Palestinians, Israelis, and others.
Wealthy Jewish philanthropists in the U.S. (as well as a couple of prominent non-Jewish ones such as Bill Gates) bought the Gush Katif hothouses for $14 million and donated them to the Palestinian Authority.
The hothouses had taken years to build, but as PA police looked on, Palestinian mobs ransacked them within hours of the Israeli exit. They stripped them of their glass, wiring, computer and electronic equipment and irrigation pipes and timers, destroying a vital source of employment for Gaza Palestinians in the process.
-----> LINK
Those were modern magnificent greenhouses that were super-productive. I believe they were donated by Bill Gates. However, the really smart Gazans used all the common sense they could possibly muster and instead of using them to their benefit they looted and demolished them. Very smart people. No wonder they support Hamas.
Ah, I see you beat me to it.
If you click on the link at the bottom of comment # 1.2.4 can you access that site? Tons of useful info there. (Past articles such as the Evacuation from Gaza as well as more current news and in depth analysis).
It's called: Tom Gross, Mideast Media Analysis
Sorry I'm late to reply. I was watching The Magnificent 7 for at least the 7th time.
Those Tom Gross sites are terrific.
I heard on the radio this morning Israelis so much as clicking 'like' on posts talking about peace can be enough to get one arrested and jailed as undermining the war effort.
Or at least fired from your job.
That would be more crazyness.
If that is true then Bibi and the crazies have gone over the edge.
If . . .
It is a strongly supported if
Revenge is a desert of unjust desserts.
Albeit a desert that is best served cold.
I’m sure sure we can all agree that the violence is a bad thing, but I find this comment about policy to be a curious take. When did it become Israel’s responsibility to establish or safeguard Palestinian national claims? Every inroad Israel has made into what was once considered Palestinian territory has been in response to violence directed at Israel.
were recognized by the UN in the 1947 partition. The Palestinians rejected the partition on the grounds that the best land was given to Israel. There was a war or two or three , all won by Israel, and Israel forced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians off of land they had been living on.
It is somewhat myopic to argue that Palestinians have no "national claim". But so does Israel. Israel has much more power but cannot find safety from terrorism.
They all need a better solution than is in place right now.
Israel has one (tiny) country they govern.
There are already two that Palestinians control:
1. Gaza. Yes there's a war. But the fact is they controlled it for years. And BTW there was a Cease Fire in effect-- until the Palestinians broke it by attacking Israel recently (what was it- Oct 7th IIRC).
2. Jordan. It is entirely self ruled by Arab Muslims not Israel. And the majority of those Arabs are "Palestinians".
I thought Jordan was controlled by the Hashemite royal family, even though the population is mostly Palestinian.
I believe that the Hashamites control Jordon since the Royal Family is Hashamites. If I remember my history correctly King Abdullah is a direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammad.
The Jordanian government states that half the population descends from tribal Bedouins. There are some interesting demographics in Jordan including Afro-Jordanians, Kurds, Druze, Circassians, and Assyrians to name a few.
Tacos, the issue here is the illegal settlements by the Israelis and the attacks and driving of the Palestinians and Bedouins off the land and in some cases killing them in the West Bank. This is a product of Netanyahu and his government and is also a hot-button issue with Israel.
For there to be any progress, Netanyahu must go.
SInce the barbaric attack on Israel that started the current situation, Netanyahu's standing in the polls has plummeted.
Hopefully, that stands and he is tossed out asap.
It's something they need to be involved in to resolve or they risk generations of more violence. Israel has the absolute right to defend themselves, but they also have the absolute duty to follow international law.
Although there is a lot to say about the settlers and their mistreatment of the others in the West Bank which certainly did exist, on my first trip to Israel I visited the West Bank and took note of the walls and fences around the Efrat settler community and the guards there to protect the residents from the constant attacks by the Palestinians. One might open their eyes to the fact that there can be two sides to a story and these days it's Palestinians good and Israel bad.
Who's saying that here?
I should not have made such a generalized comment. Unfortunately seeing the pro-Palestinian rallies all around the world and the ability for the antisemitic rhetoric from Democrat lawmakers such as Rashida Tlaib who is permitted to say what she wants no matter how much it could increase the hatred for Israel and Jews due to your absolute Freedom of Speech notwithstanding the criticism she got from others. As well, I am subjected here to the news on the internet and TV to have to witness a bias in favour of the Palestinians which has upset me greatly but there is nothing I can do about it.
Yes, one might, Buzz and it's best to stop with the ''Palestinians good and Israel bad.'' It isn't happening on NT and that is the audience you are posting to. Pointing out where I think Israel is making a mistake isn't anything like you're portraying here.
You are right, my statement was too absolute and I should not have imposed it on the members of NT who have been totally supportive of Israel and realize that when it comes to a war reality is going to rule and must be accepted.
Painting a such a large group as either bad, or good, is not a side to any story. Pointing out where some of one side is doing something wrong is also not automatically calling out the whole group as bad either. There are too many people caught in the middle of this war that only want it to live their lives without fear of constant violence.
Please read my replies to Trout and Kavika.
Isn't that true of any war?
Sadly, it is Krish. If you have seen it with your own eyes, in person not on TV it is a very difficult moment for the person, the moral issue is tearing a person up and seeing the wounds and suffering with your own eyes throws a whole different light on it.
Israel needs to kick their religious extremists out of their government. The only way forward is a two state solution, but just as that cannot happen with Hamas running Gaza, it cannot happen with religious extremists in Israel pushing policies designed to keep the lives of Palestinians shitty.
That is pretty much accurate and the Israeli extremists are backed by the Netanyahu government.
And that 2-state solution cannot happen as long as the Palestinians walk away from every decent offer ever made to them and they refuse to negotiate. It's so much easier than having to make it on their own when they're spoonfed by a special exclusive UNRWA agency that has continued to support them for the past 75 years so they can use the money to reward the terrorists and their families for murdering Jews.
If the Palestinians agree to a two-state solution tomorrow Netanyahu will never let it happen. IMO, these are Netanyahu goals. To overturn the current judicial system to exempt him from the pending charges against him. To remove one way or the other all Palestinians and Bedouins from the West Bank and take it in as part of Israel. The same is the long-term plan for Gaza.
And to REMAIN IN POWER.
You know as well as I do that Netanyahu's days are numbered, and it is only the war that will keep him and his mob in power. Surely a more liberal and realistic government will soon be elected, and then things are bound to change.
Who is empowered to agree to anything for the Palestinians? Like for centuries, they have no real national government.
Who is empowered to agree to anything for the Palestinians? Like for centuries, they have no real national government.
Are the current time Abbas seems to be in the number one position. That does not mean that he is the only one or the best by any means. If you research the literacy rate of Palestinians is is very high. Perhaps if we quit looking at the past of the Palestinians are look at today and the possibilities in their population we, the world would be better off.
Let us hope, Buzz. I am well aware of the current polls on him, but even when hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets to fight against his attempted changes in the law he did not back down and if he makes the changes in the judiciary he could stay in power.
Politics is a day to day game, nothing is absolute until it is absolute.
Isn’t the reality today massive corruption in both Hamas and the PA? Do either really represent the Palestinians? How would we know?
At some point, consequences have to be tied to the responsibility or lack thereof.....
Then look at tomorrow, there are millions of Palestinians so among that group, there will be some that would qualify. Looking at today also doesn't mean the current group which, IMO if they and Netanyahu there will never be a settlement.
Do you have an idea/plan or any idea what to try to finally get peace in the area?
There was no election then. I believe the next election will make the difference.
Starting with the Ottoman Empire in 1517 the Palestinians have been subject to conquers. Finally after the Ottoman Empire was defeated in WWI the British took over and after WWII the British Mandate and then when the Brits fucked it up they handed it to the UN. So in reality the Palestinians haven't had a chance to be a country of a government for centuries.
Do you have any idea to put forth on the situation.
Let's hope so.
And yet for at least a half century, that I know of, have had a governing authority of some type and yet here we are...... or were you suggesting that the Turks are responsible for the antisemitism of the Palestinians?
You may be here but you've missed a lot of history steeped in reality. There is a lot more but I'll just stick with the below.
Yet here we are, amazing isn't it? I mean why aren't they the leading nation in the ME? Well perhaps after the Ottoman Empire was defeated by another colonizer, Britain occupied Palestine until 1948. Since 1967 Israel has occupied Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem and I might add illegally.
Between 1950 and 67 the West Bank was occupied by Jordan. Gaza was occupied by Egypt for 19 years until Israel took over and pulled their troops in 2005 but maintained control over its airspace, shared border, and shoreline. Also, a total blockade has been in effect for years.
That is quite a ridiculous question. It's time for you to put forth an idea (s) for settling the situation there. If you have one now is the time to put it forth.
Thanks for the history synopsis that covered the half century I was talking about. Or did you mean to point out that it was more about the color of the oppressor?
Do you? If not....
Illegally? So you too adopt the opinion that the customary law of war throughout history that land conquered by a defending nation becomes the land of the defending nation in every circumstance unless the defending nation happens to be Israel. IMO it is the Palestinians who are the occupiers of Israeli lands.
I say what I mean, I don't know why you have this inability to not understand it or move it in another direction. BTW what color were the oppressors?
So you don't, not surprising.
Cheers.
Yes, I do as well. That you don't understand it is not surprising either..
Making assumptions makes you look like an ass, Buzz. They are illegal by the UN and the Fourth Geneva Convention. It's that simple.
I do not try to guess what you at saying since it certainly isn't clear. You seem to be stuck on the color of the oppressors, that is on you, not me.
Cheers.
Ahhhh, well here let me clarify. The Palestinians are responsible for their current lot in life. If you need more clarification, just holler.
I guess that you don't realize that your response isn't a solution or an idea towards a solution but simply pointing fingers and making a determination based on lack of knowledge.
Cheers, time to get some sleep.
I'm locking the article and will open it again tomorrow morning.
Since you obviously are so much more studied and knowledgeable about Israel and the Middle East please point me to where the Geneva Convention indicates that lands conquered from the aggressor nation by a defending nation in a war brought by the aggressor nation are not thereafter the lands of the defending nation. As for the UN, I'm sure you are fully aware of the mountainous extent of anti-Israel bias that pervades that institution ever since the 1948 Partition. The day will never come when a decision or resolution there would favour Israel and I'm sure you know that.
The assumptions that I was speaking of are your assumptions on what I'm saying.
I was speaking about the West Bank which is the subject of the article and this is the explanation for your purusal.
04.htm#:~:text=Israel%20ratified%20the%20Geneva%20Conventions%20on%20July%206%2C%201951.&text=Israel%20has%20not%20signed%20or,not%20party%20to%20the%20treaty
I'm fully aware of the UN and its biases.
You best clean out your pants those crickets seem to have overwhelmed your senses.
Ha, mmmmkay..
I'm unable to open your "hrw" link or whatever you posted from the Geneva Convention.
It's article 49 from the Fourth Geneva Convention.
It does not answer the question as to who owns lands of an invading nation conquered by a defending nation in a defensive war.. It simply speaks of "occupiers" and my theory is that the Palestinians are the occupiers.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
We agree on that. That settles the matter.
Good morning everyone, the article is now open for discussion.