Violence in the occupied West Bank has intensified under Israel’s far-right Netanyahu government, with Israeli settler attacks trapping Palestinian families in their homes, but the situation has worsened as Israel prepares for elections in October, raising questions about the root causes and potential consequences of the escalating violence.

Escalation in settler attacks

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 87 Palestinians have been killed by Israelis in attacks across the West Bank since the beginning of the year, 21 of them by settlers. Critics say the lack of international pressure on Israel to end its siege of Gaza, combined with the rhetoric of far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, has emboldened settlers to carry out more attacks.

On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered a “wide-scale military operation” in Palestinian villages across the occupied West Bank following an attack near the illegal Havat Gilad settlement that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others. In response, Israeli forces arrested dozens of Palestinians in a military operation described as “extensive” by the military.

International condemnation and calls for action

UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese described Israeli attacks against Palestinian civilians across the occupied West Bank as “pogroms,” calling for an immediate arms embargo and a halt to trade with Israel. She accused Israeli civilians and the army of “joining forces” in the attacks, arguing that responsibility was not limited to Netanyahu or “a few rotten apples.”

“Pogroms against defenseless civilians all over the West Bank, while Gaza is under fire,” Albanese posted on X; she added that such measures are required under international law: “Arms embargo now — stop trade now.”

Analysts and political responses

Analysts and political figures have debated what could stop the Israeli settler attacks. Ofer Cassif, a member of the Knesset representing the Hadash-Ta’al political alliance, and Mouin Rabbani, co-editor of the Jadaliyya online magazine, discussed the issue on a recent Al Jazeera program. Ori Goldberg, an Israeli political commentator, also weighed in on the political and social dynamics fueling the violence.

The situation has drawn global attention, particularly as the international community continues to grapple with how to respond to the ongoing conflict. With 21 deaths attributed to settlers alone in the West Bank this year, the need for effective measures to curb the violence has become increasingly urgent.