A 67-year-old man sustained injuries after being beaten during an attack by settlers in a village near Ramallah in the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent. The incident occurred on Thursday, adding to a series of confrontations in the region.
Settlers were also reported to have thrown stones at the village of Atara. Visual evidence captured during the incident showed several cars with their windows smashed by rocks. Additional footage depicted settlers approaching the village entrance and confronting residents. The residents threw stones at the group until the settlers retreated from the area.
Settler violence has increased significantly in recent months, characterized by daily attacks and harassment. Few perpetrators have been charged or convicted for these incidents. The surge in aggression, which has at times targeted diplomats and members of the press, has sparked widespread international backlash.
This rampant violence has also led to international sanctions against Israel. Last month, President Isaac Herzog wrote to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing extremist settler violence as a moral disgrace. In his letter, Herzog called for greater efforts to crack down on the phenomenon.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced on Thursday that it had successfully evacuated two illegal outposts in the West Bank over the past day. The army stated that these outposts, located near the Palestinian villages of Atara and Wadi al-Rahim, were the source of repeated violent and illegal activity.
Civil Administration soldiers and Border Police officers led the operations. The forces dismantled and seized illegal construction components, temporary structures, vehicles, and tents from the sites. The military identified the Kfar Tarfon outpost near Atara as one of the primary targets of the enforcement action.
During the operation at Kfar Tarfon, the army reported that Israeli rioters barricaded themselves inside structures. Others attempted to reach the area as the troops moved in. The forces used riot dispersal means to complete the enforcement activity. Footage from the scene showed Border Police officers and bulldozers working among the remains of the demolished outpost.
Settler activists stated that law enforcement personnel arrived at Kfar Tarfon at 3 a.m. They cleared out the residents and demolished homes, a sheep pen, a chicken coop, and a communal dining room. The activists also claimed that two vehicles belonging to the outpost residents were confiscated during the operation.
According to reports, over 200 illegal settlement outposts have been established in the West Bank during the four-year term of the outgoing government. Many of these were reportedly set up with the coordination of settlement municipal authorities, the IDF, and other state agencies. A smaller percentage of outposts were established without such coordination, and these are often the targets of enforcement by the Civil Administration.
The Civil Administration is a quasi-military agency within the Defense Ministry, currently controlled by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The military explained on Thursday that the establishment of illegal outposts diverts security forces from their defensive and counterterrorism missions. The army noted that many perpetrators of settler violence originate from these outposts, which are often located in close proximity to Palestinian communities.
