What happened
Over 100 Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian village in the West Bank, blocking a family from returning to their homes, which had been seized by settlers weeks earlier. The settlers set fire to two homes belonging to the al-Tubasi family in Jalud and targeted Israeli security forces. The family had been escorted by the Israeli military to their properties after Israel's High Court ruled they must be allowed to return.
The al-Tubasi family, including 60-year-old Mahmoud, his wife Aida, and their son Wael, were forced to leave their homes this summer due to settler harassment and attacks. Upon their return, they found their homes had been extensively damaged, with smashed doors, torn-out electrical fittings, and broken windows.
As the family inspected one of their homes, settlers arrived and began throwing stones at them. The Israeli military responded with tear gas, but the settlers, numbering over 150, overwhelmed them. The family was eventually driven away, and their homes were set on fire. The Israeli military stated that three police officers were lightly injured and a security forces vehicle was damaged.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attacks on security forces, calling for the prosecution of those involved. However, human rights groups argue that the Israeli authorities are failing to take effective action against settler violence, with fewer than three percent of investigations leading to convictions over the last two decades.
