Since the Hamas attack, violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians has increased in the West Bank. But Israelis defend the rights of the Palestinians and do everything “to support them”.
“These are the settlers. They are here to destroy the land of Palestine. It is full of trees, almond trees, olive trees. All that is destroyed now.” Sana, a resident of the village of At-Tuwani, south of Hebron, describes the situation in the West Bank while watching a backhoe at work in a field just in front of her on the hillside. Attacks by Israeli settlers against the Israeli population were already numerous, but they have intensified since October 7 and the Hamas attack against Israel. And in the West Bank, the situation is increasingly explosive.
In At-Tuwani, Palestinians can count on Israeli volunteers to protect them from settlers. For example, a small group of pro-Palestinian activists approached the field where Sana is located. There are Israelis, a Mexican and an Irishman. In this group, there is notably Mike, with a “Free Palestine” t-shirt, in other words “free Palestine”. “We came to try to do everything we can to show our solidarity with the Palestinians, to support them, to try to document what is happening,” he assures.
Michelle, a resident of Tel Aviv, filmed an incident with her cell phone. In this video, someone says “don’t shoot, don’t shoot”. Another person responds: “You have lost your mind. Leave here, you have gone crazy, you came to protect the Palestinians. You are stupid. After 1,400 deaths, you don’t want to understand? Get out, get out quickly”. Michelle presents herself as a resistance to the settlers. “I don’t want to call them my countrymen, she assures. It’s not my people who do this kind of thing. What they want is to chase the Palestinians wherever they want them to go. They just want them to disappear from their sight. I’m not like that.”.
“I don’t want a state from which other people would be expelled”
Michelle, an Israeliat franceinfo
A settler intentionally shoots a village resident
A week after the Hamas attack, on October 13, a resident of the village of At-Tuwani was intentionally targeted by a settler. He was shot in the abdomen and underwent emergency surgery. Bassel managed to take images from afar: “You see, he approaches him, he hits my cousin then the settler steps back a meter and then he shoots him at point blank range”. Since then, Bassel has been afraid to leave his house. “It’s completely crazy. We’re blocked by the army, he emphasizes. I used to go for a walk and today I can’t, it’s very dangerous. The soldiers tell me: ‘if you don’t stay at home, we will bomb you like they do in Gaza'”.
Those, like Michelle, who defend Palestinian rights, affirm that the actions of the settlers have become radicalized since the massacres of October 7. “They’re trying to make their lives untenable and drive them out. And now they’re emboldened by war. They feel like they can do anything because it’s about security, survival, whatever it is.” is, the country supports them. The vast majority of people will not say anything against them”believes Michelle.