In a troubling development, Ahmed Nasser, an official at the Palestinian Ministry of Education, reported that half the students at Al-Ka'abneh elementary school in the Israeli-occupied West Bank were absent on September 18, 2023. This absence followed a violent attack by Jewish settlers on the previous day, which left seven people injured according to Palestinian officials.
The incident, captured on video by Israeli activists, showed young men wielding wooden bats and assaulting screaming individuals in the school yard. This attack is part of a broader pattern of escalating violence in the West Bank, which has intensified since the outbreak of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023.
The situation has raised alarm among Israel's allies, including the United States, who have called for restraint in the West Bank as the conflict spreads across the Middle East. The U.S. and other countries have begun imposing sanctions on individuals involved in such violence and face pressure to curb settlement expansion.
"We were studying as usual in class, then they started saying that settlers attacked the schools. I was able to gather my siblings so that nothing happens to them. I was able to gather them in a classroom, and the settlers started banging on the class trying to open it against our will."
The West Bank, home to approximately 3 million Palestinians and over 400,000 Israeli settlers, has been under Israeli occupation since the Six-Day War in 1967. The United Nations considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, a stance disputed by Israel based on historical and religious claims.
Palestinians and rights groups regularly accuse Israeli forces of inaction during settler attacks, and sometimes even of participation. The Israeli military stated that soldiers and police arrived at the scene, dealt with the confrontation, and detained several suspects. However, legal action against violent settlers remains rare.
Since October 7, 2023, the West Bank has witnessed almost daily sweeps by Israeli forces, resulting in thousands of arrests and regular gunbattles. As of September 17, 2023, more than 703 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, including both fighters and unarmed civilians. In the same period, about 40 Israeli troops and civilians have lost their lives in attacks by Palestinians or clashes with fighters.
The West Bank's economy, heavily dependent on foreign aid, faces significant restrictions due to the occupation. Agriculture, particularly olive cultivation, is a crucial part of the region's economy. The area is also home to several important religious sites for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, adding to its complex geopolitical significance.
As the situation continues to escalate, the international community watches closely, hoping for a resolution that can bring peace to this long-troubled region.