With all eyes on Gaza, West Bank Palestinians are facing unprecedented violence
Nov 27, 2023
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While attention is on the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Palestinians in the West Bank face unprecedented violence. Settler violence has increased, resulting in mass arrests and Palestinian villages evacuating. Olive harvest season is fraught with threats and attacks from settlers. The blurring of lines between military, authorities, and settlers has caused confusion and violence. The escalating violence in the West Bank has led to increased IDF raids and destruction of infrastructure. The Biden administration's response, settler violence, and the legitimacy of the Palestinian Authority are also discussed.
Palestinians in the West Bank are facing unprecedented violence and restrictions on their daily life, including mass arrests, increased settler violence, and threats to their livelihoods.
The detentions and mistreatment of Gazan workers highlights the challenges they face and the consequences of the war on their safety and well-being.
The olive harvest season in the West Bank has become a target for extremist settler groups, leading to a campaign of threats, violence, and forced evacuation among Palestinians.
Deep dives
Significance of the War in Gaza and Israel's Northern Border
The focus during the war in Gaza and Israel's northern border has led to less attention on the West Bank. However, this does not mean that developments in the West Bank should be ignored. There have been numerous worrying trends in the West Bank that are inextricably linked to the outcomes of the war and the fate of both Israelis and Palestinians. These developments include the high number of Palestinian casualties, mass arrests, increased settler violence, restrictions on movement, and targeting of olive harvesters. The situation in the West Bank has been significantly affected by the war, with Palestinians facing immense difficulties and threats to their livelihoods.
Impact of the War on Gazan Workers in Israel
With the outbreak of the war, Israel cancelled the work permits of thousands of Gazan workers who were in Israel at the time. Some attempted to reach the West Bank for safety, but many were detained and sent back to Gaza without their belongings. Disturbingly, two Gazan workers died while in detention, with one of them not receiving crucial medical treatment. The detentions and mistreatment of Gazan workers highlights the challenges they face and the consequences of the war on their safety and well-being.
Settler Violence and Intimidation during the Olive Harvest
The olive harvest season in the West Bank is typically a time of tension and violence, with settlers often attacking Palestinians who are picking their olives. This year, there has been a campaign by extremist settler groups against the olive harvest, particularly targeting Palestinians near settlements and main roads. Settlers have been sending threatening messages, physically assaulting olive pickers, and even distributing leaflets with evacuation warnings. This campaign has succeeded in instilling fear among Palestinians, leading many to forego the olive harvest. Additionally, there has been a disturbing blurring of lines between the military and settlers, with settlers being armed and acting as de facto authorities.
Self-Evacuation and Displacement of Palestinians
There has been a significant increase in the self-evacuation and displacement of Palestinian communities in the West Bank. These communities, often reliant on livestock as a source of livelihood, have been forced to leave their homes due to threats and violence from settlers and restrictions on their movement. The pressure on these communities, coupled with the worsening situation during the war, has resulted in many Palestinians giving up their homes and shifting to safer areas. This displacement not only affects their livelihoods but also disrupts their way of life.
The Intensification of Military Tactics and Raids
Since the war started, there has been an intensification of military tactics and raids in the West Bank. Over 200 Palestinians have been killed, with the military claiming that many of them were armed. The IDF has conducted offensive raids, even using drones and warplanes, something rarely seen since the early 2000s. The high number of detentions, often lasting days without seeing a judge, also raises concerns. This war situation has added to the already high tensions in the West Bank, with long-term implications for the region.
Challenges for the Palestinian Authority and International Attention
The Palestinian Authority faces significant challenges in the West Bank, as it is perceived as unpopular and not legitimate by a large portion of the Palestinian population. The international community, including the Biden administration, has raised concerns about settler violence and the strength of the Palestinian Authority. However, it remains uncertain if the Palestinian Authority can effectively take charge of Gaza or if other alternatives will be considered. The situation in the West Bank, often overlooked, highlights the importance of focusing on the region's developments even amid other conflicts.
While the world is watching the Israel-Hamas war unfold in Gaza, Palestinians in the West Bank are suffering some of the worst violence and restrictions on their daily life in years.
Since Hamas militants entered Israel on October 7 and killed an estimated 1,200 people, Israel's security forces have cracked down on Palestinian factions in West Bank cities, while also detaining a huge number of Palestinians and allowing settlers threaten and attack West Bank residents without consequences.
In this week's episode of the Haaretz Weekly podcast, Haaretz West Bank correspondent Hagar Shezaf speaks to host Allison Kaplan Sommer about why ignoring settler violence and other deepening problems in the occupied West Bank is a very dangerous course of action for Israel.
Since October 7, more than 200 Palestinians were killed by Israeli security forces in the West Bank. "There have been mass arrests of Palestinians suspected of being part of Hamas and also other groups, and settler violence has increased – not that it wasn't very high before the war," says Shezaf. "This has resulted in some Palestinian villages evacuating themselves due to the settlers threats and violence."
One of the main friction points has been the olive harvest. According to Shezaf, many Palestinians find themselves unable to harvest this year at all: "They [young settlers] have WhatsApp groups where they notify others about where there are Palestinians picking olives, and then they show up to scare them."
Another critical issue in the conversation was the number of Palestinians detained in Israel since the start of the Gaza war. "One of the first things that Israel did on October 7 is cancel the work permits of thousands of Gazans," who were in Israel, working legally at the time.
This has led to overpopulation and mistreatment of detainees. "A couple weeks into the war, I found out that two Palestinians had died in Israeli detention," in unrelated incidents, Shezaf shares. "Both of them were sick. One had diabetes and one was a cancer patient. When I spoke to the family of the detainee that had diabetes, they did not know that he died. It was a very unfortunate role that I played, confirming to his family that he died. He was a diabetic, but he basically died because no one gave him his medicine."
