Palestine calls for pressure to halt Israeli settler 'terrorism'

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa on Monday urged European officials to intensify pressure on Israel to stop "illegal measures" and occupiers' "terrorism" in the occupied West Bank, where attacks surged to 1,659 incidents in May alone. The appeal came during talks with a high-level European delegation on the sidelines of the eighth European-Palestinian Investment Platform in Ramallah, according to a statement by his office.

Mustafa said the attacks represent "part of attempts to displace Palestinian residents and seize more land," adding that Israel's continued withholding of clearance revenues has devastated the Palestinian economy.

Fiscal blockade

Clearance revenues — taxes levied on goods entering Palestinian territories that Israel collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority — have been fully suspended for over a year, with the total amount withheld now exceeding $5 billion. The Palestinian economy has contracted by approximately 30% of GDP, driving unemployment to unprecedented levels, he noted.

EU backing

Michael Karnitschnig, acting director-general of the European Commission's Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf, affirmed the EU's commitment to political and economic support for Palestine. He rejected the occupiers' violence and unilateral Israeli measures, stressing the need to support the unity of the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the legitimacy of the Palestinian political system.

Jelsomina Villioti, vice president of the European Investment Bank, underlined the bank's support for the Palestinian economy, including private sector projects, infrastructure, and public services improvement.

West Bank violence

Israeli violence has surged across the occupied West Bank since October 2023, with Palestinian officials reporting 1,169 deaths, 12,666 injuries, nearly 23,000 arrests, and the displacement of around 33,000 people. The occupied territory has witnessed intensified military raids and settler attacks alongside the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.