Church Leaders, Diplomats Condemn Escalating Israeli Settler Violence in West Bank

Church leaders and diplomats have decried Israeli settlers’ recent violence in the West Bank, describing the incidents as troubling and calling on both sides to refrain from further escalation.

The joint statement outlined a series of major assaults on Palestinian communities, such property damage, forced displacements, and physical attacks. Church leaders stressed that these acts hamper the ongoing peace efforts.

“The only law [in the West Bank] is that of power, of those who have the force, not the law. We must work for the law to return to this part of the country, so anyone can appeal to the law to enforce their rights,” Pizzaballa, a Catholic cleric in Jerusalem, said.

Diplomats who are currently in the region voiced similar concern, describing the unrest as “destabilizing and unacceptable,” urging the Israeli government to address the situation and protect Palestinians.

Israeli settlers and soldiers conducted several attacks across the West Bank on Monday, striking certain locations, including Bethlehem. In al-Maniya village, southeast of the city, settlers reportedly tore up some 1,500 young olive trees and erected four tents on village land.

With input from Al Jazeera