Israeli settlers raid Palestinian West Bank villages | DW News

Hundreds of Israeli settlers have stormed Palestinian properties in the occupied West Bank, killing one man, according to Palestinian authorities. The riots come a day after an attack on Israelis in the area, in which Palestinian attackers reportedly killed four Israeli settlers.

How have Israeli officials responded?
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that hundreds of Israeli settlers had set fire to vehicles and buildings in Turmus Ayya on Wednesday. They issued a statement condemning the violence. "The IDF condemns these serious incidents of violence and destruction of property. Such events prevent the IDF and security forces from focusing on their main mission — maintaining the security of the State of Israel and preventing terrorism," the armed forces said in a statement. The initial statement did not address reports of the 27-year-old Palestinian's death. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also released a statement on the latest violence, saying "all citizens of Israel are obligated to obey the law." He added that he gives "full backing to the Israel Police and the security forces in their efforts to maintain law and order." In the aftermath of Tuesday's deadly shooting in the Eli settlement, the Israeli government moved to increase its security presence in the occupied West Bank. Netanyahu also said he had approved plans to build a further 1,000 new homes in the Eli settlement — in opposition to calls from the international community to halt settlement building.

Earlier on Wednesday, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for an even more aggressive response. "We need a military operation, we need to flatten buildings, we need targeted killings," he told parliament on Wednesday. "That's how you act against terrorism."

According to the UN, there are around 700,000 Israeli settlers living in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem among a Palestinian population of around 2.9 million. The Israeli settlements are considered illegal under international law.

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