🔗 Share this article

The governments of Italy and Canada have expressed alarm about the treatment of their nationals who were assaulted and robbed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

Details of the Violent Incident

Three Italians and a Canadian were assaulted in the pre-dawn hours of Sunday in the community of Ein al-Duyuk, near Jericho. They were serving to help shield Palestinian residents from escalating violence by settlers.

“In the early morning of November 30th, a group of ten masked settlers, two carrying army-issued rifles, forced their way into the residence where we were sleeping after night-watch,” stated the Canadian volunteer.

Each of the four required hospital treatment and one, an male Italian volunteer, was still receiving care in Ramallah on Monday for more substantial injuries.

Rising Tensions in the Village

The frequency and severity of attacks in Ein al-Duyuk have increased substantially over the last eight weeks. This coincides with the creation of an unauthorized settler encampment nearby and the arrival of young and aggressive settlers.

Activists say that aggressive acts have become an almost daily occurrence. These incidents have involved groups of settlers breaking into homes, assaulting residents, and stealing livestock and property.

Legal Status and Government Reactions

While all settlements on occupied territory are considered unlawful by the international community, unauthorized outposts are also illegal under Israeli law. Ein al-Duyuk is in Area A of the West Bank, a zone theoretically under the control of the Palestinian governing body.

The Canadian foreign ministry stated it “utterly rejects the acts of violence committed by extremist settlers and opposes any actions or talk about annexation of the Palestinian territories.”

Italy's top diplomat, Antonio Tajani, told reporters: “We have had enough of this hostility. This is not the way for anyone to make their claims.”

Lack of Intervention and Broader Context

Villagers and activists report there has been little effective action by security forces to stop the attacks or remove the illegal settlement. Leading members of the Israeli governing coalition are vocal backers of West Bank settlers.

United Nations data indicates that Israeli settlers and security forces have taken the lives of over a thousand Palestinians, including 233 children, in the West Bank over the past two years.

Perspective from the Ground

The Canadian volunteer noted that, notwithstanding the violence, she felt the international presence in the village had been meaningful.

“The residents felt more confident while we were present,” she said. “The children played freely. People slept through the night. Just that made our presence worthwhile.”

A Palestinian activist involved with groups that recruit foreign volunteers said the new outpost has brought in far-right wing settlers who seem to belong to an organised group.