17/03/2026
Palestinian Foreign Minister Briefs Diplomatic Corps on Escalating Settler Violence in the West Bank. ๐ต๐ธ
On Tuesday, Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Dr. Farsin Agabkian Shahin, held a comprehensive briefing with the accredited diplomatic corps in the State of Palestine to highlight the alarming escalation of settler violence across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
The Minister emphasized that the occupying authorities are exploiting the international communityโs preoccupation with regional crises to intensify settlement policies and accelerate creeping annexation. This includes expanding settlements and enacting legislative and administrative measures aimed at consolidating permanent control over Palestinian land, undermining the two-state solution, and threatening the Palestinian peopleโs right to self-determination.
Dr. Shahin noted that settler attacks have reached unprecedented levels, occurring daily and targeting Palestinians and their property through killings, physical assaults, arson of homes and vehicles, destruction of agricultural land, and seizure of resources, often under the direct protection of the occupying forces. She also condemned ongoing violations against holy sites, including the closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque since the onset of the conflict and preventing worshippers from performing religious rites during Ramadan, constituting a clear violation of freedom of worship.
The briefing included firsthand testimonies from local leaders: Mr. Ayman Hamail, head of Abu Falah Village Council; Mr. Ahmed Anaya, Mayor of Azzoun; and Mr. Amin Abu Aliya, head of Al-Mughayer Village Council. They detailed the daily reality of violence in their communities, noting that shootings and lethal attacks have become routine, often occurring with the presence or protection of occupation forces, resulting in casualties without accountability.
The officials further described the systematic closure of gates and village entrances, isolating Palestinian communities and severely restricting residentsโ movement. These measures are coupled with repeated raids, arson of homes and vehicles, land seizures, and the establishment of new settlement outposts, exacerbating civilian suffering and threatening their continued presence on their lands.
In conclusion, Minister Shahin called on the international community to fulfill its legal and moral obligations by taking concrete steps to halt these violations, ensure protection for the Palestinian people, and uphold international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.
