Settler attacks wound Palestinian baby, destroy olive trees in West Bank

A Palestinian infant was wounded and numerous olive trees were destroyed in a series of attacks by Israeli settlers across the occupied West Bank, according to local sources and a rights group on Thursday. The incidents reflect a broader pattern of escalating violence against Palestinian civilians and their livelihoods in the territory.

Attacks on Homes and Farmland

The Bedouin rights organization al-Baydar reported that an eight-month-old baby was injured and hospitalized after settlers attacked homes with stones in the al-Rabia area of Sa'ir town, northeast of Hebron, late Wednesday. The group condemned the assault as a "dangerous escalation" and held Israeli authorities fully responsible for the repeated violations. In separate incidents, settlers uprooted dozens of olive trees in Dayr Balut, west of Salfit, and plowed over cultivated land in Turmus Ayya, north of Ramallah, damaging vital agricultural resources.

A Pattern of Escalating Violence

These attacks are not isolated. The previous day, settlers had plowed farmland in Turmus Ayya. According to the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, settlers carried out 621 attacks against Palestinians and their property in November alone. This ongoing violence inflicts severe economic damage, targeting olive trees that are central to Palestinian agriculture and identity, while creating an atmosphere of fear and insecurity for communities.

Broader Context and International Response

The violence occurs amidst a severe deterioration in the West Bank since October 2023. Palestinian figures report at least 1,102 Palestinians killed, nearly 11,000 injured, and around 21,000 detained by Israeli forces and settlers during this period. In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel's occupation illegal and called for the evacuation of all West Bank and East Jerusalem settlements. Türkiye strongly condemns these attacks, consistently advocating for the protection of Palestinian civilians, the preservation of their property, and the realization of a two-state solution based on 1967 borders as the only path to lasting peace.