Israeli settlers attack West Bank village and block family
Palestinian family blocked from returning to West Bank homes by Israeli settlers as properties and vehicles are set on fire during violent raid.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Over 100 Israeli settlers attacked the West Bank village of Jalud
- The al-Tubasi family was blocked from returning despite a court ruling
- Two family houses and a car were torched during the raid
- The UN reports settler violence has reached record highs this year
More than 100 Israeli settlers carried out violent attacks in the Palestinian village of Jalud, south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, stopping the al-Tubasi family from returning to their homes despite an escort by the Israeli military and a ruling from Israel's High Court.
Mahmoud al-Tubasi, 60, his wife Aida, 51, and their 33-year-old son Wael, had been forced to leave their properties earlier this summer following weeks of harassment and attacks from extremist settlers who established an illegal outpost nearby. The High Court ruled earlier this month that the family must be safely allowed back by September 20.
Al-Tubasi stated that he received a coordination message from Israeli officials at midnight instructing him to return immediately with military and border police. Upon arrival, they found one of their homes extensively damaged with smashed doors, torn electrical fittings, and a destroyed toilet. A large crowd of extremists had arrived after alerts were coordinated through WhatsApp groups.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Israeli security forces attempted to control the crowd by firing tear gas and using pepper spray to protect the family, but the number of rioters exceeded 150, overwhelming the troops. The family was eventually transferred to an armored military vehicle while their car and both houses were set on fire by the attackers.
"My feeling now is that I am happy to have escaped death. I genuinely expected they were going to kill us."
Mahmoud al-Tubasi
The ongoing violence in the West Bank highlights deep-seated structural tensions and accountability gaps. According to United Nations data, more than 6,500 Palestinians have been displaced since 2023 due to settler attacks and access restrictions. Meanwhile, Israeli human rights group Yesh Din notes that fewer than three percent of police investigations into settler violence over the past two decades have resulted in a conviction.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly condemned the attacks on security forces and called for rioters to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. However, human rights advocates argue that inadequate enforcement reflects a systematic approach affecting land control in the region.
Source: BBC World
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