Israel must immediately end violence, policies and practices against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank

In one example, on Monday evening, an Israeli settler killed a 31-year-old Palestinian teacher and activist, Audah Hathaleen, and injured another Palestinian man in the village of Umm al-Khair in the South Hebron Hills. Hathaleen was shot in the chest, reportedly after residents confronted the settler while he was using a digger on Palestinian-owned land. Hathaleen, who was featured in an award-winning documentary about Palestinian communities at risk of forcible transfer in Massafer Yatta, was transferred to the hospital and died a few hours later. Local residents identified the settler, who has been involved in multiple attacks on Palestinian communities, in some cases resulting in their forcible displacement, as documented by the UN Human Rights Office. Following the incident, Israeli forces reportedly declared the area a closed military zone and detained 12 Palestinians and two foreign activists in connection with the confrontations. Israeli forces also initially detained the settler, who was released and reportedly placed on house arrest.

Meanwhile, in Bethlehem governorate, between 24 and 26 July, Israeli settlers forced 17 Palestinian herding families from the Deir Alla community in Kisan to leave their homes, amid repeated settler violence that intensified following the establishment of a nearby settlement outpost days earlier. The settlers threatened to kill the residents if they did not leave, vandalised Palestinian property, and cut off the water supply to the community. On 23 July, Israeli security forces reportedly informed the residents that they were unable to protect them from settler attacks. Following the displacement on 27 July, Israeli settlers reportedly set fire to and demolished several structures belonging to the displaced families to impede any attempts by the community to return.

In conjunction, State policy and legislative actions appear aimed at emptying certain areas of the West Bank of the Palestinian population, advancing the settlement enterprise, and consolidating the annexation of large parts of the occupied Palestinian territory. In one example earlier this month, Israeli authorities, after a four-year pause, resumed implementation of the E1 settlement plans, which include the construction of over 3,400 housing units for Israeli settlers between occupied East Jerusalem and the Ma’ale Adumim settlement.

Israeli security forces also continued a pattern of the use of unnecessary and disproportionate force that resulted in the unlawful killing and injury of Palestinians.  Over the past week, Israeli forces killed eight Palestinians, including five children (all boys) who were shot despite the fact that they posed no threat to life. For example, in Qabatiya, Jenin, on 22 July, heavily armed Israeli soldiers chased a 15-year-old Palestinian boy after he reportedly threw stones and fatally shot him in the chest. In another incident on 23 July in Araba, Jein, Israeli forces shot and killed a 13-year-old Palestinian boy after he reportedly threw stones at Israeli military vehicles.

These events are part of a broader and coordinated strategy of the State of Israel to expand and consolidate annexation of the occupied West Bank, while reinforcing its system of discrimination, oppression and control over Palestinians there. Political support for the annexation and settlement of the occupied West Bank continues within Israel. The UN Human Rights Office in the occupied Palestinian territory notes with concern the Knesset motion of 23 July, which was adopted by a large majority, calling on the Government to extend Israeli sovereignty to the West Bank officially. The non-binding motion advocated for its formal annexation under Israeli law, which would be a flagrant violation of international law. We reiterate that all settlements in the occupied West Bank are illegal, that Israel has the obligation, as confirmed by the International Court of Justice, to immediately evacuate all Israeli settlers and to end as rapidly as possible its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory.