An assault by over 100 settler militants on a Palestinian family in the West Bank village of Jalud early on Tuesday resulted in injuries to three Israeli security personnel and extensive property damage, drawing unusually sharp condemnation from Israeli political figures and international observers.
The Tubasi family had obtained a high court ruling ordering their return to homes from which they had been displaced following a weeks-long siege by settlers during the summer. The Israeli military arranged to escort them back with approximately 15 military police officers, a small contingent given the Sukkot holiday period when settler outposts typically see increased numbers of residents. Upon arrival, the family was forced to the roof of their house as settlers attacked, and they were subsequently evacuated by armored military vehicles. The crowd then set fire to the homes, blocked roads, and threw stones at security forces. According to one family member, the houses were destroyed comprehensively, with doors, tiles, stairs, bathrooms, and windows damaged or removed entirely.
The incident prompted responses across Israel’s political spectrum. President Isaac Herzog described the attacks as a “moral stain,” while Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief and leading opposition candidate in elections scheduled for next month, called for action against what he characterized as a “campaign of terror and violence.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the “violent riots” and called for prosecution of attackers, though he defended the broader settler movement as law-abiding. An Israeli military spokesperson indicated that two suspects had been detained and emphasized that violence against security forces crossed an unacceptable line.
The International Committee of the Red Cross stated that settler violence, combined with settlement expansion and movement restrictions, has rendered everyday life for Palestinians “untenable” under international humanitarian law. The incident reflects escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, where according to the Israeli rights group B’Tselem, more than 60 Palestinian communities have been eliminated since October 2023, with nearly 5,000 people displaced from their homes. This violence occurs amid increased international scrutiny, including import restrictions announced by the Netherlands, planned trade controls from the United Kingdom, and proposed legislation in the United States Congress.
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