Yossi Schwartz ISL (RCIT section in Israel/Occupied Palestine) 31.08.2026
There is no doubt that the Zionist settlers in the West Bank are escalating violence against the Palestinians with the support of the government, soldiers, officers, policemen and rabbis.
Yesterday, four Palestinians were wounded by live fire by Zionist army soldiers in Al-Mughayyir, near Ramallah. During a military raid on the village that began after settlers invaded the village’s land and a clash broke out between the villagers and the settlers. The Palestinian Red Crescent said its teams, together with private ambulance teams, treated the four wounded and evacuated them to hospital. The IDF has not yet responded.
According to reports, the incident began at around 6:30 P.M., when settlers grazed sheep near the western entrance to the village in the presence of soldiers. Residents arrived at the scene and clashed with the settlers, who were grazing sheep on village land. During the confrontation, the soldiers reportedly opened live fire on the Palestinians, after which the Zionist army forces raided the village and closed the only entrance to it. It was also reported that the soldiers fired at the windshield of a car and delayed the provision of medical assistance to the wounded.
A few days ago, I wrote that a new intifada is on the doorstep. Not only because the conditions are ripe to respond to the settler riots, but also because of the defeat of the United States and Israel in the war against Iran, which arouses resistance to oppression and thought: “If Iran can do it, so can we.” This position is being confirmed today by the Zionist army. This can be learned today from the “Haaretz” newspaper:
According to the newspaper, senior army officials warned in closed discussions with the Prime Minister and members of the Security Cabinet that there are early signs of what they call extreme scenarios in the West Bank following settler violence, including a settler attack against Palestinians similar to the 2015 house fire in Douma. The military warns that such an act, or the firing of firearms at Palestinians that would cause many deaths, could cause Palestinians who are not currently involved in the clashes to participate in violent resistance in several locations in the West Bank.
There is a possibility of revenge by Palestinians who feel that the Zionist army and the Palestinian Authority are not protecting their security and will storm the settlers during the violent attacks in the villages. The army is also concerned about the possibility that Palestinians will carry out revenge operations in one of the farms or settlements.
Contrary to Zionist propaganda, senior army officials recognize that the number of rioters has increased largely in the riots in the West Bank, which have become more violent – and in their view, the settlers are not afraid of the army either. The military also believes that the fact that the settlers arrive at the villages in vehicles on the Sabbath, as happened in Qusra over the weekend, indicates that there is a rabbinical authority that supports these actions. At the same time, we see more groups of young Palestinians coming to protect the residents of the villages. At this stage, the Palestinians are not armed, but they may resist the settlers by force, or an armed squad will carry out an attack in a settlement or outpost against the backdrop of disturbances.
According to senior security sources, the situation on the ground is characterized by a lack of police enforcement and a disconnect between the army and the police. According to these sources, the disconnect between the commander of the Central Command, Maj. Gen. Avi Balut, and the commander of the Judea and Samaria District, Major General Moshe Finchi. The army claims that Pinchi is acting in accordance with the instructions of the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, while deliberately ignoring the demands of the Central Command and in violation of the requirements of the law. According to the officers, the normalization of settler violence has become a real security danger that relies on the open support of prominent rabbis among the settlers, and that the Shin Bet refrained from summoning them to warning talks. The Jerusalem District chose not to respond to these claims.
“The most difficult predictions are on their way to being realized, and very soon,” warn military sources, and a situation has been created in which the army chiefs warn behind closed doors, but do not receive an attentive ear.
This tension is also reflected within the top echelons of the Zionist army, where promotion in the position depends on loyalty to Yisrael Katz Minister Bezalel Smotrich and the prime minister. There are those in the General Staff who accuse these officers of trying to create “industrial quiet” for the political echelon until the elections, or alternatively, of exerting pressure on the chief of staff to act more aggressively against the Palestinians.
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Maj. Gen. Yoram Halevi, recently presented a plan to transfer authority in the West Bank from the army to the police. Among the army chiefs, and the judicial system reject Katz’s demand, since according to the laws of war, the occupying army is the sovereign under international law.
There is no doubt that Netanyahu is encouraging settler violence in the hope that there will be a violent attack on the Zionist rioters, and this will give him an excuse to postpone the elections on the grounds of a serious security situation and in this situation, elections cannot be held.
It is very urgent for the Palestinians in the West Bank to organize action committees in every village, town and refugee camp and out of them to build national leadership loyal to the Palestinians as the only way to prevent the massive Zionist terror.