Settler Kidnaps Palestinian Farmer in Deir Istiya Amid Surge in West Bank Attacks

JAKARTA, Indonesia — In a disturbing escalation of settler violence in the occupied West Bank, a Palestinian farmer, Abdulhadi Khouli, was abducted by Israeli settlers while tending to his livestock in the village of Deir Istiya, northwest of Salfit. Local sources report that Khouli was seized in broad daylight, with his current whereabouts remaining unknown.

This incident follows a series of violent attacks by settlers across the West Bank. On the previous day, settlers opened fire indiscriminately on Palestinians in the Jordan Valley, wounding at least seven individuals. The attackers also set fire to homes and farmland, leaving widespread destruction in their wake.

As dawn broke this morning, settlers launched another assault in the town of Kifl Haris, north of Salfit. Eyewitnesses reported that settlers, under the protection of Israeli military forces, stormed the town to perform Talmudic rituals at Islamic shrines. During the incursion, they attacked residents' homes and vehicles, causing significant damage and sparking anger among the local population.

Earlier this week, settlers abducted two Palestinian children, Ahmed and Mariam, aged 3 and 13, respectively, in Nablus. Their cousin attempted to intervene by throwing stones but was beaten by the settlers. The children were later found unconscious and tied to an olive tree, while the settlers fled to their outpost on an ATV. The Palestinian Authority Forces tasked with protecting Palestinians were absent during all of these events.

These attacks are part of a broader pattern of settler violence that has intensified since October 2023. Human rights organizations like B'Tselem have documented numerous incidents of harassment, property destruction, and physical assaults against Palestinians, often with the complicity or direct involvement of Israeli military forces.

The international community has expressed growing concern over the escalating violence and the apparent lack of accountability for perpetrators. Calls for investigations and sanctions have intensified, but meaningful action remains elusive. As the situation continues to deteriorate, the residents of the West Bank face an increasingly perilous existence under occupation.