Over 150 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the start of the war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, following clashes with IDF forces and settlers. Many squads of terrorist organizations in the West Bank attempt frequently to carry out attacks in the area in order to stir up public anger and express solidarity with Hamas and the residents of the Gaza Strip, who are suffering from the war that Hamas imposed on Israel and on them with its murderous attack in the communities in the Gaza envelope on October 7.
To date, over 30 days since the war began, the residents of the West Bank have not taken to the streets en masse and have not packed the streets and roads, thereby preventing, at least thus far, wide-scale friction that could well aggravate the conflict. The residents of the West Bank have so far not responded to the unending calls by Hamas leaders to “ignite” the streets and engage the IDF in wide and unceasing mass friction in order to force Israel to comply with the requests made by Hamas with the start of its offense in the Gaza envelope communities. They have avoided this action so far, if only because of the lack of faith in the Hamas way, or because of the fear of the harsh Israeli response that may result, or because of the Palestinian Authority's lack of interest in mass protests of this type, in this time of war and with the international efforts to prevent its expansion – which could exacerbate its weakness and continue to damage its already precarious position.
Nonetheless, this war has seen an increase in the scope of the clashes between Palestinians and settlers in the wake of the tension and Israeli feelings of outrage over the massacre in the Gaza envelope communities. The clashes are more violent and more tense, and force the IDF to invest time and resources in a task that is not the top priority of the State of Israel. The pulsating spirit among the extremists settlers, who see the war in Gaza as an opportunity to create a new reality that will return the Israeli settlements to the Strip and perhaps also lead to the “departure”/expulsion of Gazans from the area motivates them to terrorize the Palestinian residents of the West Bank and establish new facts on the ground that would be difficult to overturn. The apparent increase in the scope of events since the war began is manifested in the burning of vehicles, shooting, and many instances of violent friction, all of which sow anger, tension, and the desire for revenge. The demand of Minister Smotrich, who is close to the settlers, to prevent the Palestinians from picking olives now, during the harvest season, points to the spirit that drives the extreme Jewish events in the West Bank today.
This situation has aroused concern among friends of Israel and may affect other arenas outside the Palestinian territory. President Biden, who has given unequivocal support to the war waged by Israel in the Gaza Strip, has demanded that the phenomenon be prevented and claimed that it was adding fuel to the fire. The Chief of Staff and the head of the Israel Security Agency have also expressed concern about the increase in the scope of the friction and asked for the intervention of the cabinet and its ministers to prevent the phenomenon. The fact that many weapons were distributed to protection squads in the Jewish settlements in the West Bank, including to ultra-Orthodox ideologically identified with the extremist settlers who underwent a brief training period – and this is the first time they are carrying a weapon – also encourages the spirit that drives some settlers in the West Bank today.
Preventing friction between settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank and an effort to maintain a routine of life are critical to not expanding the war to other fronts and to the peace that is still maintained among the Arab citizens of Israel.
Over 150 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the start of the war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, following clashes with IDF forces and settlers. Many squads of terrorist organizations in the West Bank attempt frequently to carry out attacks in the area in order to stir up public anger and express solidarity with Hamas and the residents of the Gaza Strip, who are suffering from the war that Hamas imposed on Israel and on them with its murderous attack in the communities in the Gaza envelope on October 7.
To date, over 30 days since the war began, the residents of the West Bank have not taken to the streets en masse and have not packed the streets and roads, thereby preventing, at least thus far, wide-scale friction that could well aggravate the conflict. The residents of the West Bank have so far not responded to the unending calls by Hamas leaders to “ignite” the streets and engage the IDF in wide and unceasing mass friction in order to force Israel to comply with the requests made by Hamas with the start of its offense in the Gaza envelope communities. They have avoided this action so far, if only because of the lack of faith in the Hamas way, or because of the fear of the harsh Israeli response that may result, or because of the Palestinian Authority's lack of interest in mass protests of this type, in this time of war and with the international efforts to prevent its expansion – which could exacerbate its weakness and continue to damage its already precarious position.
Nonetheless, this war has seen an increase in the scope of the clashes between Palestinians and settlers in the wake of the tension and Israeli feelings of outrage over the massacre in the Gaza envelope communities. The clashes are more violent and more tense, and force the IDF to invest time and resources in a task that is not the top priority of the State of Israel. The pulsating spirit among the extremists settlers, who see the war in Gaza as an opportunity to create a new reality that will return the Israeli settlements to the Strip and perhaps also lead to the “departure”/expulsion of Gazans from the area motivates them to terrorize the Palestinian residents of the West Bank and establish new facts on the ground that would be difficult to overturn. The apparent increase in the scope of events since the war began is manifested in the burning of vehicles, shooting, and many instances of violent friction, all of which sow anger, tension, and the desire for revenge. The demand of Minister Smotrich, who is close to the settlers, to prevent the Palestinians from picking olives now, during the harvest season, points to the spirit that drives the extreme Jewish events in the West Bank today.
This situation has aroused concern among friends of Israel and may affect other arenas outside the Palestinian territory. President Biden, who has given unequivocal support to the war waged by Israel in the Gaza Strip, has demanded that the phenomenon be prevented and claimed that it was adding fuel to the fire. The Chief of Staff and the head of the Israel Security Agency have also expressed concern about the increase in the scope of the friction and asked for the intervention of the cabinet and its ministers to prevent the phenomenon. The fact that many weapons were distributed to protection squads in the Jewish settlements in the West Bank, including to ultra-Orthodox ideologically identified with the extremist settlers who underwent a brief training period – and this is the first time they are carrying a weapon – also encourages the spirit that drives some settlers in the West Bank today.
Preventing friction between settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank and an effort to maintain a routine of life are critical to not expanding the war to other fronts and to the peace that is still maintained among the Arab citizens of Israel.