UN investigation: Settler violence in the West Bank has more than doubled since 2024

Figures and the development of the violence

The commission finds that the number of such incidents has risen sharply since 2023 according to the UN, and assesses that this trend is continuing in 2026 with attacks carried out on a daily basis. The number of victims has thus more than doubled compared to 2024, according to the report.

According to the UN investigators, settler violence dates back to the 1970s. The report states that settler violence serves strategic goals: the construction of housing, the annexation of occupied territories, and the displacement of Palestinians. Israel contributes through military and financial support to a climate of impunity, with the Israeli army protecting settlers during attacks.

The role of the Israeli state and impunity

In Israeli media, "jewish terror" is sometimes mentioned in this context. At the same time, the commission recorded that forces linked to Hamas were involved in at least 60 of these incidents. The report also describes concrete examples: In July 2025, settlers, accompanied by Israeli soldiers, reportedly attacked Palestinians while they were tending their fields.

The chair of the UN commission, Srinivasan Muralidhar, called for more decisive international action. "The relentless, daily attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians are unbearable and must stop," Muralidhar said. His commission appeals to the international community to increase pressure on Israel.

International reactions and demands

Several Western states explicitly support this appeal. According to the report, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, and Norway have called on the government in Jerusalem to urgently de-escalate the situation on the ground and have threatened further sanctions against Israel.

With a view to the wider region, the commission makes clear that the increase in violence in the West Bank is inseparably linked to the Gaza war, which was triggered by the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. The dynamic of radical settlers against Palestinians and their property has significantly intensified since then, according to the findings.

The publication of the report comes at a time when the international debate over the situation in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip is sharpening. The UN commission links its documentation with the warning that the daily violence will continue to increase without a clear political countersteering trend, and sees an urgent need for action on the part of the Israeli government and the international community.

The news was broadcast on 09.06.2026 on the Deutschlandfunk program. © dpa-infocom, dpa:260609-930-194293/1. This is a news item direct from the dpa news channel.