The governments of Italy and Canada have expressed alarm regarding the handling of their citizens who were assaulted and robbed by Israeli settlers in the Palestinian territories under occupation.
Details of the Brutal Assault
A group comprising three Italians and one Canadian were assaulted in the pre-dawn hours of Sunday in the village of Ein al-Duyuk, near Jericho. They were serving to help shield Palestinian residents from escalating violence by settlers.
“At 4.30am on 30 November, a group of ten masked settlers, some armed with military-style rifles, burst into the home where we were resting after a night shift,” stated the Canadian volunteer.
All four were hospitalised and one, an male Italian volunteer, was still receiving care in Ramallah on Monday for more serious wounds.
Escalating Violence in the Village
The pace and intensity of attacks in Ein al-Duyuk have risen dramatically over the last eight weeks. This coincides with the creation of an unauthorized settler encampment in the vicinity and the influx of new, confrontational settlers.
Local observers report that violent incidents have become an routine event. These incidents have involved groups of settlers forcibly entering houses, beating villagers, and taking sheep, vehicles, and destroying solar panels.
International Law and Government Reactions
While all settlements on land seized in 1967 are considered unlawful by the international community, unauthorized outposts are also illegal under Israeli law. The village is located within Area A of the West Bank, a zone theoretically under the control of the Palestinian Authority.
The Canadian foreign ministry stated it “utterly rejects the violent acts committed by extremist settlers and opposes any actions or talk about absorbing Palestinian land.”
The Italian foreign minister, Minister Tajani, told reporters: “We have had enough of this aggression. This is not the way for the settlers to make their claims.”
Lack of Intervention and Broader Context
Villagers and activists report there has been little effective action by security forces to halt the assaults or remove the illegal settlement. Senior figures of the Israeli governing coalition are vocal backers of settlements in the territory.
According to UN figures that settlers and Israeli forces have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians, including hundreds of minors, in the West Bank over the last 24 months.
Voice of the Volunteers
The Canadian volunteer noted that, despite the attack, she felt the presence of volunteers in Ein al-Duyuk had been meaningful.
“The villagers stood taller while we were present,” she said. “Kids were able to play outside. People slept through the night. That alone made our presence justified.”
A Palestinian activist working with groups that recruit foreign volunteers said the recent encampment has brought in far-right wing settlers who appear to be part of a coordinated network.
