A report by Israeli human rights organisation Yesh Din, shared with the Guardian, says violent settler attacks in the two West Bank areas under direct Palestinian control have almost doubled since 2025.
Key facts
- Settler attacks in West Bank Areas A and B have almost doubled since 2025, per Yesh Din data cited by the Guardian.
- Almost two-thirds of settler violence incidents in 2026 so far occurred in Areas A and B.
- Areas A and B were placed under Palestinian Authority governance in the 1995 Oslo accords.
- Settlers describe their push as a self-proclaimed 'great settlement revolution'.
Violent Israeli settler attacks in the two areas of the occupied West Bank under direct Palestinian rule have almost doubled since 2025, according to a report shared with the Guardian by the Israeli human rights organisation Yesh Din.
The report says the violence is moving away from Israeli-controlled areas and into territory earmarked for a future Palestinian state. Data cited by the Guardian shows that almost two-thirds of incidents of settler violence so far in 2026 have taken place in the so-called Areas A and B.
These areas were placed under Palestinian Authority governance under the 1995 Oslo accords. The shift means attacks are increasingly concentrated in the parts of the West Bank meant to be administered by Palestinians rather than by Israel.
According to the Guardian, the trend comes as settlers pursue what they have called a ‘great settlement revolution’ in the very heart of the territory earmarked for a Palestinian state.
Separately, Al Jazeera reported that Palestinians with missing relatives were marking the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to Victims of Terrorism, and that Palestinian victims of Israeli settler attacks face a painful battle for justice.
The reports together point to both a geographic shift in where settler violence is occurring and the continuing difficulties victims describe in seeking accountability.
Why it matters
The reported concentration of settler violence in areas designated for Palestinian self-rule affects the prospects for a future Palestinian state and the daily security of communities living there. It also raises questions about accountability, as victims report struggling to obtain justice.
Frequently asked questions
What are Areas A and B in the West Bank?
They are two areas of the occupied West Bank placed under Palestinian Authority governance under the 1995 Oslo accords. The Yesh Din report says almost two-thirds of settler violence incidents in 2026 so far took place there.
How much have settler attacks increased?
According to the Yesh Din report cited by the Guardian, violent settler attacks in the two areas under direct Palestinian rule have almost doubled since 2025.
What did Al Jazeera report about victims?
Al Jazeera reported that Palestinians with missing relatives were marking the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to Victims of Terrorism, and that victims of settler attacks face a painful battle for justice.