The governments of Italy and Canada have expressed alarm about the treatment of their citizens who were beaten and robbed by Jewish settlers in the Palestinian territories under occupation.
Particulars Surrounding the Brutal Assault
A group comprising three Italians and one Canadian were assaulted in the pre-dawn hours of Sunday in the community of Ein al-Duyuk, near Jericho. They had volunteered to help protect the Palestinian population from escalating violence by settlers.
“At 4.30am on 30 November, 10 masked settlers, some armed with military-style rifles, forced their way into the residence where we were sleeping after night-watch,” said the Canadian national.
Each of the four required hospital treatment and one, an male Italian volunteer, was still receiving care in Ramallah on Monday for more substantial injuries.
Rising Tensions in Ein al-Duyuk
The frequency and severity of attacks in Ein al-Duyuk have risen dramatically over the past two months. This coincides with the creation of an unauthorized settler encampment in the vicinity and the influx of new, confrontational settlers.
Activists say that aggressive acts have become an almost daily occurrence. Attacks have included settler mobs forcibly entering houses, assaulting residents, and taking sheep, vehicles, and destroying solar panels.
International Law and Government Reactions
Although all Israeli communities on occupied territory are illegal under international law, irregular outposts are also illegal under Israeli law. The village is located within Area A of the West Bank, a zone meant to be administered of the Palestinian governing body.
Canada's Department of Global Affairs stated it “utterly rejects the acts of violence committed by extremist settlers and opposes any actions or talk about annexation of the Palestinian territories.”
Italy's top diplomat, Minister Tajani, told reporters: “We have had enough of this aggression. This is not the way for anyone to make their claims.”
Lack of Intervention and Broader Context
Villagers and activists report there has been no meaningful police intervention to halt the assaults or dismantle the outpost. Leading members of the Israeli governing coalition actively support West Bank settlers.
According to UN figures that Israeli settlers and security forces have taken the lives of over a thousand Palestinians, including hundreds of minors, in the West Bank over the past two years.
Voice of the Volunteers
The Canadian volunteer noted that, notwithstanding the violence, she felt the presence of volunteers in the village had been meaningful.
“The villagers stood taller while we were present,” she said. “The children played freely. People slept through the night. That alone made our presence justified.”
A Palestinian activist involved with groups that recruit foreign volunteers said the new outpost has brought in far-right wing settlers who appear to be part of a coordinated network.
