International West Bank thread

[Koya]

Hello everyone

I am creating this thread to give news about the dire situation in the west bank.

I am usually posting this news in the Gaza thread but it is not Gaza and the situation is very different.

Given the differences I wish this thread to be educational about the situation there.

Hamas is (or was) in control of Gaza, and the Palestinian Authority controls the West Bank.

Gaza is under a total war and daily bombings and a blockade, the West Bank is not but is divided in 3 areas : A, B and C.

Area A is under Palestinian Authority administrative and police control. It's 18% of the West Bank land and the most densely populated area.

Area B is under PA adminstrative control but shares security with Israeli forces. It's 22% of the land but it is not contiguous with Area C, as area C ecompasses it and divides it in hundreds of little villages and settlements.

Area C is under total israeli control, and that's were majority of israeli settlers are located. 400,000 on the total of 600,000 in the West Bank are in Area C. Most Palestinian villages in this area lack a primary school, roads or access to water. Many are under constant harassment and threats from said settlers, who are often armed.

I will write more about this.

 

[Koya]

The 1995 Oslo II Accord established the administrative division of the Palestinian West Bank into areas A, B, and C as a transitional arrangement, pending a final status agreement. Oslo II intended for the divisions to be temporary, with full jurisdiction of all three areas gradually transferred to the Palestinian Authority over time. Instead, the divisions persist, with Area A administered by the Palestinian Authority, Area C by Israel, and Area B under joint control.

Area A​

Under the terms of the Oslo agreement, Area A is under Palestinian administrative and police control. It constitutes 18% of the West Bank. Of the 3 areas, Area A is the most densely populated. Although under Palestinian control, much of the available land for building lies on borders with Area C.

Area B​

The Palestinian Authority exercises administrative control over Area B but shares security control with Israeli authorities. This area makes up about 22% of the West Bank. Palestinian administrative or civil control of the area includes education, economic, and health sectors.

The majority of Palestinians in the West Bank live in areas A or B. These areas are not contiguous: Area C divides Areas A and B into hundreds of separate segments.

Area C​

Area C, which Israel administers, covers over 60 percent of the West Bank. An estimated 300,000 Palestinians live in 532 residential areas located partially or fully in Area C, along with some 400,000 Israeli settlers residing in approximately 230 settlements. In addition, around 30% of Area C is a designated “firing zone” for military training – 38 Palestinian communities are located within these training areas. Altogether, 60% of Area C is made up of these firing zones, other military land, or state land and nature reserves. Palestinian residents struggle to obtain land permits for housing and farming in the remaining 40%.

A third of Palestinian communities in Area C lack a primary school, forcing children to travel or walk long distances to reach the nearest school. More than 70% of communities in Area C are not connected to a water network and rely on tankered water at vastly increased cost. 95,000 people receive fewer than 50 liters of water per capita per day – half of the minimum amount recommended by the World Health Organization. Nearly half of Area C Palestinian communities report that their access to emergency and basic healthcare is hampered by the long distances to the nearest clinic or the need to pass through checkpoints.





Map courtesy SoWhAt249 [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Apart from the administrative divisions established by the Oslo Accords, the West Bank is apportioned into 11 governorates. Learn about Anera's long history of work across Palestine's West Bank.

Source : https://www.anera.org/what-are-area-a-area-b-and-area-c-in-the-west-bank/

 

[AnGrYcRoW]

It's essentially the same playbook as Gaza , make life intolerable for the Palestinians and wait for something bad to happen , put up more road blocks ,steal more land etc , rinse and repeat.

The international community needs to put more pressure on Israel , I don't know what else can be done.

 

[Whippy McGee]

This is how much the rest of the Muslim / Arab world things of the people in Gaza / West Bank.

https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/israeli-displacement-of-palestinians-to-jordan-will-be-act-of-war-amman-18204312

Jordon, Egypt, Syria, etc... none of them want them.

 

[Koya]

Here is a documented video footage taken by the Israeli NGO B'Tselem, where we can see israeli settlers organising attacks on Palestinians. This is a daily occurrence in area C.

 

[KnightTemplar]

This is how much the rest of the Muslim / Arab world things of the people in Gaza / West Bank.

https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/israeli-displacement-of-palestinians-to-jordan-will-be-act-of-war-amman-18204312

Jordon, Egypt, Syria, etc... none of them want them.

Hardly surprising, given what happened in Jordon. The Arab nations remember Black September.

 

[Koya]

Another example of how israeli forces segregate and force Palestinians to leave their village by making their conditions dire.

Here in the village of Sinjil, which is already separated in itself between area A, B and C, the israeli government is building a fence around the village to further segregate it. Article and video below.

'Ghost town': Israel’s new fence turns Palestinian town into open-air prison
The barrier —1,500 metres long and six metres high — Palestinians say, is turning their hometown, home to nearly 6,000 people, into a walled prison controlled by a single Israeli soldier stationed at a locked gate.

TRT Global - 'Ghost town': Israel’s new fence turns Palestinian town into open-air prison

The barrier —1,500 metres long and six metres high — Palestinians say, is turning their hometown, home to nearly 6,000 people, into a walled prison controlled by a single Israeli soldier stationed at a locked gate.

trt.global

 

[Koya]

To realize how extremely grave settled violence has become, recently armed settlers ambushed and attacked an israeli army brigade and rampaged trough a military base because they branded them "traitors". If that is against their own army, imagine the kind of violence they exert on Palestinians

Israeli settlers attack Palestinians and IDF military vehicles in West Bank​

Israeli settlers attack Palestinians and IDF military vehicles in West Bank

Israeli settlers have attacked a military base in the occupied West Bank, setting fires, vandalizing vehicles and clashing with soldiers.

www.pbs.org

Israeli settlers set fire at military base in the West Bank amid growing number of attacks​

Israeli settlers set fire at military base in the West Bank

On Wednesday, three Palestinians were killed when Jewish settlers stormed the West Bank village of Karf Malik.

www.euronews.com

 

[LeonardoBjj]

It's essentially the same playbook as Gaza , make life intolerable for the Palestinians and wait for something bad to happen , put up more road blocks ,steal more land etc , rinse and repeat.

The international community needs to put more pressure on Israel , I don't know what else can be done.

- Had a attack yesterday. Israeli setlers atacked a Israeli military base. Maybe those israeli setlers are antisemite?

 

[LeonardoBjj]

Israeli justice minister demands government accelerate annexation of occupied West Bank​

Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin called on his government on Wednesday to accelerate the annexation of the occupied West Bank.

“I think that this period, beyond the current issues, is a time of historic opportunity that we must not miss,” Levin said during his meeting with the head of a settler council, as cited by The Times of Israel news outlet.

The minister claimed that the West Bank annexation is essential for Israel’s security, calling the occupied territory “not just the heart of the land but also the safety belt for the State of Israel.”

“The time for sovereignty has come, the time to apply sovereignty. My position on this matter is firm, it is clear,” Levin said.

As of the end of 2024, approximately 770,000 illegal Israeli settlers lived in the West Bank, across 180 settlements and 256 outposts – including 138 classified as agricultural or pastoral, according to Palestinian reports.

Israeli government data show that illegal settlers staged 414 attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank in the first half of this year, up 30% from 2024.

Since the start of Israel’s assault on Gaza in October 2023, at least 988 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,000 injured in the West Bank by Israeli forces and illegal settlers, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) last July declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/2...-accelerate-annexation-of-occupied-west-bank/

 

[Koya]

One of the common dynamic in place in the West Bank is the coordination of the settlers and the israeli army during settlers attacks.

The article by journal Le Monde below explains this dynami, it focuses on an attack that happened the 25th of June, when around a 100 settlers violently attacked the village of Kafr Malik and killed 3 people, with the support of the Israeli army.

Israeli settlers, protected by the army, ramp up violence in occupied West Bank​

https://archive.ph/b8WNS

I strongly recommend reading the whole article and pictures, but for those who don't want/can't/are busy, here's a ChatGPT summary of it :

Overview

While international attention is focused on the war between Israel and Iran, violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank has escalated sharply. These attacks are often carried out under the protection—or with the direct involvement—of the Israeli army.
---

Recent Incident in Kafr Malik

On June 25, over 100 settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Kafr Malik near Ramallah.

Three Palestinians were killed: Murshed Hamayel (35), Mohamad Al-Naji (21), and Lotfi Baerat (18).

Eight others were wounded, including 15-year-old Amir, who was shot while running to his father.

Villagers say the settlers coordinated via WhatsApp, torched cars, and stormed homes.

The Israeli army arrived and fired live ammunition, claiming Palestinians threw stones.
---

Funerals and Testimonies

The attack came just two days after a 13-year-old boy, Moataz Hamayel, was shot and killed by Israeli forces.

Families were mourning when the new raid occurred.

Witnesses reported that soldiers followed closely behind the settlers, firing live rounds at villagers.

One woman said settlers screamed “Revenge!” while attacking.

The army claimed it tried to "interpose" but resorted to gunfire when allegedly confronted by "terrorists"—language that contrasts sharply with their reference to settlers as "Israeli civilians."
---

Wider Escalation Across the West Bank

The UN reported:

23 settler attacks with casualties or property damage between June 17–23.

32 incidents of the Israeli army occupying Palestinian homes, detaining residents, or turning them into military posts.

A Bedouin hamlet near Taybeh was also attacked by settlers, who set fire to cars and tried to burn a room with a mother and two daughters inside.
---

Life Under Siege in Nablus

The mayor of Nablus describes his city as "under lockdown" and "economically paralyzed."

There are seven checkpoints around Nablus and 130 obstacles within the region.

Fuel is scarce, salaries are slashed (down to 35%), and military raids have intensified, especially in the Balata refugee camp (home to 40,000 people in 1 km²).

The biggest concern: settlement expansion, which continues to isolate and strangle Palestinian communities.
---
Key Quotes

“There is no difference anymore between a settler and a soldier,” said Fatah leader Abbas Zaki.

“It may not be the death of the two-state solution yet, but it’s well on the way,” said Husam Shakhshir, mayor of Nablus.

 

[Siver!]

Supporting Israel makes you a scumbag.

Simple as that.

I'd love to hear a single justification for giving Israel a pass on stories like this.

 

[syct23]

Supporting Israel makes you a scumbag.

Simple as that.

I am also designating this thread as a Hospital…

 

[Fox by the Sea]

I remember walking though Ramallah and feeling the palpable tension which went on all day long basically. when the israelis felt like it, they'd yank the electricity, sometimes stop the water, for "security reasons". every time i went i stayed at the Movenpick and they had a separate generator and water reserve. i don't know if it's still around. people probably don't know it but the west bank living is quite better than Gaza, Gaza is absolutely a hellhole, like an outside prison.

each time i'd go to Ramallah i'd do the usual dance with the israeli army who guard the entrance towards the city, and i've never felt such hostility not even in war zones i ended up in my life like i did passing those checkpoints. i don't know how anyone who ACTUALLY went to Gaza and the West Bank can look at it and not feel the inhuman injustice of it all. i suspect the vast majority of people posting here have only seen pictures, but are very clever having an opinion.

you pass a modicum of life there and you have to forget that you're ALWAYS a target as a palestinian. above the city, the hills, about a mile away, have jewish settlements looking down on the palestinian buildings. sometimes they say, a sniper takes aim and has some fun.

and then you leave, pass the checkpoints, get on the highway north-west and in a couple of hours you're in tel aviv, which looks great, and can have a nice evening walking the seashore in Jaffa and sip lemonade while visiting art galleries. i've never gotten used to that experience. it's very close.

 

[Koya]

To better understand what is the current israeli government goal with the west bank, you have to contextua with what happened in 2024, when netanyahu's government announced the biggest land grab in the west bank in 20 years, appropriating for themselves 12.7 sq km of land in the West Bank.

The goal is not a two state solution, it is to seize the west bank slowly but surely.

Israel has approved ‘largest West Bank land grab in 30 years’, watchdog says​

Peace Now says approval of more than 12 sq km is biggest since peace process began in 1993

Israel has approved the largest seizure of land in the occupied West Bank in more than three decades, according to a report released by an Israeli anti-settlement watchdog, a move that will exacerbate the escalating tensions surrounding the conflict in Gaza.

Peace Now said authorities recently approved the appropriation of 12.7 sq km (nearly 5 sq miles) of land in the Jordan valley, indicating it was “the largest single appropriation approved since the 1993 Oslo accords”, referring to the start of the peace process.


Settlement monitors say the recent land acquisition links Israeli settlements along a crucial corridor adjacent to Jordan, a development they say threatens the formation of a future Palestinian state.

Israel occupied the West Bank, capturing it from Jordan, in the six-day war of 1967. Since then, successive governments have made efforts to permanently cement Israeli control over the land, in part by declaring large swathes as “state lands”, which prevents private Palestinian ownership.

The recent land seizure, which was approved late last month but only publicised on Wednesday, comes after the seizure of 8 sq km of land in the West Bank in March and 2.6 sq km in February.

Peace Now says the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, “are determined to fight against the entire world and against the interests of the people of Israel for the benefit of a handful of settlers”.

“Today, it is clear to everyone that this conflict cannot be resolved without a political settlement that establishes a Palestinian state alongside Israel,” the group added. “Still, the Israeli government chooses to actually make it difficult.”

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric called it “a step in the wrong direction,” adding that “the direction we want to be heading is to find a negotiated two-state solution”.

In a leaked recording captured by Peace Now, Smotrich, during a conference for his National Religious Party-Religious Zionism, disclosed that the land confiscations in 2024 surpassed previous years’ averages by approximately tenfold.

“This thing is mega-strategic and we are investing a lot in it,” Smotrich said. “This is something that will change the map dramatically.”

In May 2023, Smotrich, who said his “life’s mission is to thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state”, had instructed Israeli government ministries to prepare for 500,000 more Israeli settlers to move into the occupied West Bank.

On 20 June, the Guardian revealed how the Israeli military has quietly handed over significant legal powers in the West Bank to pro-settler civil servants working for Smotrich.

An order posted by the Israel Defense Forces on its website on 29 May transfers responsibility for dozens of bylaws at the Civil Administration – the Israeli body governing in the West Bank – from the military to officials led by Smotrich at the defence ministry.

Since 7 October, settlers have stepped up beatings and attacks, forcing Palestinians to flee to nearby towns, and there has been an increase in army home demolitions.

Late in June, Israeli soldiers have destroyed 11 homes and other structures in Umm al-Kheir, a village in the occupied West Bank, leaving 50 people homeless, while early in July they fired live ammunition and teargas at six Palestinian villagers, including four women and a five-year-old girl.

Israel has approved ‘largest West Bank land grab in 30 years’, watchdog says

Peace Now says approval of more than 12 sq km is biggest since peace process began in 1993

www.theguardian.com

 

[Croo67]

I miss when Liberals used to pretend to care about Ukraine, it was a lot less tedious.

 

[Koya]

Here's an report from Amnesty International from June 5th 2025 that documents the besieging (with tanks), home destruction, displacement, killing and harassment of Palestinians by the Israeli Forces.

Israel’s destructive West Bank military operation fuels mass forced displacement of Palestinians

The Israeli military has displaced tens of thousands of Palestinians by destroying homes and essential civilian infrastructure in Jenin and Tulkarem refugee camps rendering them uninhabitable, as part of its ongoing brutal military operation in the occupied West Bank.

www.amnesty.org

Again summary of the report for those who prefer this format :

Key Findings on the West Bank Military Operation

1. Widespread Displacement

Since January, Israeli military operations—especially in Jenin and Tulkarm refugee camps—have displaced tens of thousands of Palestinians.

Amnesty cites this as the largest forced displacement in the West Bank since 1967 .

2. Destruction of Civilian Infrastructure

The Israeli army deployed tanks, conducted air strikes, demolished homes, roads, water infrastructure, and restricted movement through heavy checkpoints and roadblocks .

MSF reports describe camps as “ruins and dust,” emphasizing destroyed shelters, damaged clinics, cut-off water and electricity, and restricted access to healthcare .

3. Casualties and Arrests

Between January 21 and June 4, at least 80 Palestinians (including 14 children) were killed in the northern West Bank—including around Nablus—according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health .

Around 1,000 Palestinians were arrested in the camps of Jenin and Tulkarm during the operation .

4. Military-Imposed Restrictions

Israeli forces declared Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarm refugee camps as closed military zones, barring residents from returning home and using sniper fire to enforce the restrictions .

Diplomats from 20+ countries (including the UK, France, Canada, China, and Russia) were reportedly shot at by Israeli forces during a visit to Jenin .
---

Human Rights & Legal Concerns

Amnesty International deems the operation a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention, qualifying as a war crime due to forced displacement and destruction of protected civilian lives and properties .

The actions are also considered collective punishment, specifically prohibited under international law .

The operation appears to be part of a systemic strategy to dispossess and oppress Palestinians, reinforcing what Amnesty terms Israel’s regime of apartheid .
---

Broader Context & Implications

The UN-verified figure of 40,000 displaced since January aligns with Oxfam data highlighting the highest level of forced displacement since 1967, and signs of a process dubbed the “Gazafication” of the West Bank .

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warns of severe humanitarian impacts: lack of shelter, medical care, clean water, and constrained access to aid .

UN OCHA reports show mass demolitions: over 20 structures in Jenin and more than 100 in Tulkarm and Nur Shams between 22–23 June, with Israeli forces firing on Palestinians trying to return .
---

Summary

Amnesty International describes a powerful, destructive military campaign in the West Bank—particularly targeting Jenin and Tulkarm refugee camps. It involves:

Massive displacement of civilians.

Destruction of homes and essential infrastructure.

Excessive use of force, including deadly shootings and blanket restrictions.

International law violations, including war crimes and apartheid-like policies.

This situation underscores a severe humanitarian crisis and raises urgent alarms under international legal standards.

 

[Daverisimo]

What do you mean? You're saying that Israel is an expansionist genocidal ethnostate? But they told me that Israel was The Only Democracy in the Middle East (TM), and The Most Moral Country in the World (TM). Something isn't adding up here.

 

[The_Renaissance]

I must admit, I feel very differently about the West Bank than I do about Gaza/Hamas. Its plain wrong. I avoided the west bank almost entirely in Israel,no interest. Not religious and I don't like the vibe - I noticed that seeing visibly religious Jews driving through Jerusalem was far, far more common than elsewhere in the country. I can fully imagine the stunts they pull, any religious fanatic is a crackpot to me.

 

[Blayt7hh]

Here is a documented video footage taken by the Israeli NGO B'Tselem, where we can see israeli settlers organising attacks on Palestinians. This is a daily occurrence in area C.

The Israeli settlers in the West Bank basically are terrorists