The European Union (EU) expressed grave concern about the worsening situation in the occupied West Bank where settler violence, intimidation, and destruction of homes and property have continued to steeply rise over the past few days.

The European Union condemned in a statement all attacks against civilians, calling on occupation authorities to step up efforts to prevent recurrent settler violence against Palestinians and ensure the perpetrators of crimes are held accountable.

The EU recalls that settlements are illegal under international law and constitute an obstacle to peace. In the current situation, all efforts should be directed at preventing further tensions and to de-escalate, the statement added.

Settlers continue their attacks intensively on several villages and towns in the West Bank since last Friday, under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces, leading to the martyrdom and injury of dozens of Palestinians by the bullets of the occupation forces and settlers, as well as the burning
of dozens of homes, vehicles, and private properties belonging to the citizens.

Cities, towns, and refugee camps in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem witness daily raids and incursions by the occupation forces and settlers, accompanied by confrontations, arrests, live and rubber bullet shootings, and the use of tear gas bombs against Palestinians. The intensity of these campaigns has increased in parallel with the unprecedented and continuous Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023

Source: Qatar News Agency