Jewish diaspora leaders urge Israeli president to stop “attacks by Jewish extremists” on Palestinians in the West Bank.

An open letter to Herzog facilitated by the London Initiative – a liberal Zionist network of 360 people, including eminent Jewish, Israeli and Israeli Palestinian figures – has attracted more than 3,000 signatories, including diplomats, philanthropists, rabbis and academics from Australia, Canada, across Europe, South Africa the UK and US. It follows a spate of killings and arson attacks by settlers on Palestinian civilians in March.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/02/malcolm-rifkind-urges-israeli-president-to-stop-attacks-by-jewish-extremists-on-palestinians

On 4/4/2026 at 4:46 AM, Jeff the Chef said:

Jewish diaspora leaders urge Israeli president to stop “attacks by Jewish extremists” on Palestinians in the West Bank.

An open letter to Herzog facilitated by the London Initiative – a liberal Zionist network of 360 people, including eminent Jewish, Israeli and Israeli Palestinian figures – has attracted more than 3,000 signatories, including diplomats, philanthropists, rabbis and academics from Australia, Canada, across Europe, South Africa the UK and US. It follows a spate of killings and arson attacks by settlers on Palestinian civilians in March.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/02/malcolm-rifkind-urges-israeli-president-to-stop-attacks-by-jewish-extremists-on-palestinians

Good initiative, but with Bibi depending on those very people committing and supporting the atrocities, this won't change anything.

West Bank Killing Sparks Alarm as Settler Violence Surges Under Netanyahu Government

A Palestinian man has been shot dead during a settler attack in the occupied West Bank, intensifying fears of spiralling violence and growing impunity on the ground.

Alaa Khalid Subeih, 28, was killed on Wednesday evening in Tayasir after confronting settlers who had entered the village. His family say he was defending his livelihood. Israeli authorities claim he was throwing stones when an off-duty soldier opened fire.

Clashing Narratives, One Dead

Relatives insist Subeih — a school janitor — posed no threat and was “executed” while protecting a greenhouse. A senior UN official backed claims he was shot by a settler during escalating clashes.

The Israel Defense Forces said troops responded to reports of violence between Palestinians and Israeli civilians, confirming an off-duty soldier fired the fatal shot.

Confusion deepened after Hebrew-language statements labelled Subeih a “terrorist”, while English communications described him as a civilian.

Aid Blocked, Body Withheld

A Palestinian Red Crescent crew dispatched to the scene say they were denied access by Israeli soldiers and detained for hours, their phones confiscated.

By the time they were released, they were told Subeih’s body had been taken by Israeli forces — and has not yet been returned to his family.

For relatives, the delay is compounding grief. They say returning his body is the minimum needed to allow burial and closure.

Settler Violence Rising as Focus Shifts

The killing comes amid a sharp rise in settler attacks, with the United Nations recording hundreds of incidents in recent months.

Officials warn global attention on regional tensions — including conflict involving Iran — may be emboldening extremists on the ground.

UN representatives say the line between settlers and state forces is increasingly blurred, with some attackers also serving as soldiers.

Security Chiefs Warn of ‘Terrorism’ Within

Pressure is mounting on Benjamin Netanyahu after former intelligence and military chiefs accused his government of enabling “Jewish terrorism” in the West Bank.

Far-right ministers including Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have pushed aggressive settlement expansion, with reports of dozens more approvals.

Critics warn the strategy risks inflaming violence, undermining security — and closing the door on any future Palestinian state.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czrekrzzex1o

Government approves a record 34 new settlements, as it acts to deepen hold on West Bank, the security cabinet approved the establishment of 34 new West Bank settlements in a meeting two weeks ago, The Times of Israel has confirmed.

The approval of the new settlements — brand new settlements as well as illegal ones retroactively legalized — constitutes the largest number of settlements approved by any government at one time, the Peace Now organization said.

By comparison, only six new settlements were formally approved by Israel in the 30 years between the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993 and the establishment of the current government.

Only a handful of the 103 newly approved settlements have received approval through the Civil Administration’s planning processes, meaning that they have yet to be fully authorized, but as part of its efforts to dramatically increase the number of Israelis living in the West Bank, the current government has greatly streamlined and expedited those approval processes.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/government-formally-approves-34-new-settlements-as-it-acts-to-deepen-hold-on-west-bank/

1948: Arab-Israeli war. Israel expands by land theft. "This is what happens when you start a war."

1967: 6-day-war. Israel expands by land theft. "This is what happens when we start a war."

2024: Israel destroys Gaza committing genocide and along the way expands by land theft in the West Bank.

"This is what happens anyway, no matter if with or without a war."

Israel Nignav.

Teen killed as settlers and troops ‘open fire’

Mourners gather around the bodies of Aws al-Na'san and Jihad Abu Naim, residents of the West Bank village of al-Mughayyir, at the hospital's morgue in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Tuesday, April 21, 2026.

Shock and chaos have erupted in the West Bank after two Palestinians—including a 14-year-old boy—were killed in a deadly confrontation involving Jewish settlers and Israeli soldiers.

The violence unfolded in the village of al-Mughayyir, where gunfire rang out near a school, sending parents and children into panic. Palestinian officials say the victims were caught in a terrifying crossfire as tensions once again exploded in the occupied territory.

According to the village’s mayor, Amin Abu Alia, around 10 settlers arrived alongside Israeli troops before opening fire towards the school. Within moments, the situation spiralled.

Aws al-Naasan, just 14, and Jihad Abu Naim, 32, were killed. The Palestinian health ministry pointed the finger at “settler gunfire”, while the mayor said both men were shot by soldiers.

Israel’s military offered a starkly different account. It said troops were deployed after reports that stones had been thrown at an Israeli car carrying civilians, including a reservist.

That reservist reportedly exited the vehicle and “opened fire at suspects in the area”, triggering a wider confrontation. Soldiers then intervened to “disperse the violent confrontation”, according to the military, which confirmed the incident is under review.

Disturbing footage has since emerged. A mobile phone video appears to show an Israeli soldier firing, while other clips capture scenes of panic outside the school gates.

Medics and desperate parents can be seen rushing towards the wounded as chaos unfolds. Eyewitness Kathem al-Haj Ahmed, 57, described the moment the violence hit: settlers “attacked the school along with the army”.

He said the school urgently called families to collect their children. But as they arrived, gunfire erupted from both sides. “The settlers shot from one side and the army from the other,” he told Reuters.

The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned what it described as a “terrorist attack and massacre” carried out by settler groups “in full co-ordination” with Israeli forces. The accusation underscores the deepening anger among Palestinian officials.

The killings mark the latest flashpoint in what the United Nations has warned is a surge in settler violence. Even before Tuesday’s incident, at least 10 Palestinians had been killed and 385 injured by settlers across the West Bank in 2026.

March alone saw six deaths and more than 200 documented settler attacks—an average of six every day. The violence has also forced around 1,750 Palestinians from their homes this year, according to the UN.

For residents of al-Mughayyir, the fear is relentless. “This is our reality,” said al-Haj Ahmed, describing what he called a campaign of displacement. He claimed settlers and soldiers “exchange roles” during attacks.

Human rights groups have long accused the Israeli military of allowing extremist settlers to act with impunity. Israel has built around 160 settlements housing about 700,000 Jews since occupying the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967.

Around 3.3 million Palestinians live alongside them—on land they hope will form a future state. The settlements are considered illegal under international law, adding yet another layer of tension to an already volatile conflict.

Now, with investigations under way and anger rising, the question looms: will this latest bloodshed deepen the spiral—or force a reckoning?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp864d661rro

@RayC Why havent you condemned violence against Jews?

Thats just as bad as the people who don't condemn violence against Muslims .

Do you condemn violence against Jews ?

Just now, Nick Carter icp said:

@RayC Why havent you condemned violence against Jews?

Thats just as bad as the people who don't condemn violence against Muslims .

Do you condemn violence against Jews ?

Firstly, I have made no prior comment in this thread so why attempt to call me out here? Secondly - and more importantly - you know damn well that I condemned the stabbings of the two (Jewish) members of the public in London in the relevant thread.

On 5/4/2026 at 2:50 AM, RayC said:

Firstly, I have made no prior comment in this thread so why attempt to call me out here? Secondly - and more importantly - you know damn well that I condemned the stabbings of the two (Jewish) members of the public in London in the relevant thread.

Don´t let that bother you. @Nick Carter icp has not only never condemned violence against Muslims he is also a staunch supporter of the mass murder in Gaza.

Israeli settlers torch mosque in West Bank village of Jiljilya

Residents said they heard explosions shortly after 2 a.m. before seeing smoke rise from the mosque. According to local imam Mohammad Khasib, 15 to 20 tyres were set on fire inside the ablution area, causing extensive damage to the building.

Hebrew graffiti, including the word “revenge” and references to detainees, was sprayed on the exterior walls. The mosque is located in Area A of the occupied West Bank, which is administered by the Palestinian Authority and is generally off-limits to Israeli civilians.

The incident was one of two reported attacks on mosques overnight in villages north of Ramallah.

Palestinian officials said dozens of mosques and churches across the occupied West Bank have been vandalised or damaged since the start of 2026, amid a wider rise in violence linked to Israeli settlers.

Inside the mosque in Jiljilya, walls and doors were blackened by soot, while intense heat cracked and damaged the floor tiles.

Local residents returned to the site on Wednesday morning to clear debris and clean the damaged areas. At the time of reporting, Israeli police and military authorities had not publicly commented on the incident. Palestinian leaders called for stronger protection of religious sites and accountability for those responsible.

Israeli settlers torch mosque in West Bank village of Jiljilya

The western media, by and large, ignore settler violence directed at Palestinian communities. If it gets really big and coordinated, and a few people are killed, then maybe it gets covered. In general though, settler violence remains largely under the radar of western media. A Palestinian village gets torched by a mob - ho hum. But if some British kids spray paint anti Jewish slogans on a couple of London Synagogues it makes the BBC, which in turn makes it into Westminster's Prime Minister's Questions, etc.

Israeli settlers in the West Bank

The Gaza ceasefire is facing mounting scrutiny as aid agencies warn that violence has continued despite the truce, while a deepening economic crisis in the West Bank threatens to undermine any prospect of a future Palestinian state.

As global attention shifts toward regional tensions involving Iran, humanitarian groups and analysts say conditions in the Palestinian territories are deteriorating rapidly, both on the ground and behind the scenes.

Ceasefire Branded a ‘Deadly Illusion’

UNICEF spokesman James Elder has described the Gaza ceasefire as a “cruel and deadly illusion”, arguing that civilians continue to pay a heavy price despite the formal halt in major hostilities.

According to figures cited by Gaza health authorities, more than 1,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed since the ceasefire was declared, including hundreds of children. The claims underscore the fragile nature of the truce and the gap between diplomatic agreements and realities on the ground.

West Bank Violence Draws Fresh Alarm

Concerns are also growing in the occupied West Bank, where former Israeli political and security leaders have publicly warned about escalating settler violence and rising tensions.

Among the signatories of a recent letter were former prime ministers and senior security officials who accused the government of failing to confront extremist violence. The intervention reflects growing divisions within Israel over the direction of policy in the occupied territories.

Economic Squeeze Raises the Stakes

Beyond the security crisis, analysts warn that the West Bank economy is being pushed toward collapse.

Restrictions on movement, reduced access to employment, disruptions to trade and the withholding of key revenues have placed enormous pressure on businesses and households. Economic output has fallen sharply since the October 2023 Hamas attacks, while hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have reportedly lost jobs.

The consequences extend beyond immediate hardship. International observers argue that without a functioning economy, the foundations required for a viable Palestinian state become increasingly difficult to sustain.

Pressure Mounts on Western Allies

The worsening situation has intensified calls for stronger action from Israel’s allies, including the UK and European governments.

Critics argue that existing measures targeting violent settlers are insufficient and that broader economic and diplomatic pressure may be required. Supporters of a tougher approach say the issue is no longer confined to security concerns but increasingly centres on livelihoods, governance and the long-term viability of a political settlement.

As violence, economic decline and political tensions converge, fears are growing that conditions in both Gaza and the West Bank are moving further away from stability rather than towards it.

The Guardian view on Israel and the West Bank: allies must protect Palestinian lives and livelihoods