By.Diana Khwaelid
Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank are increasingly on constant high alert. Settler attacks and daily acts of violence across villages and communities throughout the West Bank, particularly in the areas around Ramallah, Jenin, Nablus Hebron and the Jordan Valley, have all seen a stark increase. Scenes of settler violence have become a daily reality. Sometimes a single family or village can see multiple attacks in a single day.
Residents of Abu Falah, a village northeast of Ramallah, are one community living under this heightened state of alert due to repeated settler attacks. Families whose homes are located near illegal settlement outposts are especially vulnerable. For self-protection in Abu Falah, residents have looked to those methods used in the nearby village of Sinjil, reinforcing their homes with wire and protective fencing, in an attempt to minimize potential material damage and from attacks by settlers who target Palestinian property in a seemingly random way– at any time. This constant threat has created deep fear of both human and material losses.
This raises serious questions and growing fears about what may happen in both the near and distant future. The actions of Israeli authorities and settlers can be understood as part of efforts to displace Palestinians, both directly and indirectly, through sustained pressure, restrictions, intimidation and continued human rights violations: including attacks and killings. According to reports by Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations who document these violations, settler attacks against Palestinian areas have been on the rise, particularly over the past few months. This means that the humanitarian and political situation in the West Bank is at an extremely difficult stage, unlike anything seen in previous years.
The question remains: How long can Palestinians endure? And who will stop Israel?