Occupation Forces Unleash Wave of Arrests and Settler Violence Across West Bank

Israeli occupation forces (IOF) and settler extremist escalated a campaign of aggression across the West Bank on Sunday and Monday, launching widespread raids, arson attacks, and a mass detention campaign that included a former parliament member, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally rejected any prospect of a Palestinian state.

The coordinated assaults targeted numerous towns and refugee camps. In the village of al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah, IOF soldiers set fire to a Palestinian home during a raid. Meanwhile, in the Old City of al-Khalil (Hebron), a group of armed settlers seized a Palestinian house, underscoring the deepening entrenchment of the occupation.
The violence was not limited to property. During a raid on the town of Ya’bad, west of Jenin, IOF soldiers injured two young men with rubber-coated steel bullets. In the Qalandia refugee camp, north of occupied al-Quds (Jerusalem), soldiers fired tear gas canisters along Airport Street as schoolchildren attempted to pass.

Mass Detentions Target Activists and Officials

In a sweeping operation, the IOF detained dozens of Palestinians at dawn on Sunday. Among those arrested was former Arab Member of Knesset Haneen Zoabi, who was seized from her home in al-Nasira (Nazareth) and interrogated on charges of “incitement” for a speech deemed critical of Israel. She was released hours later.

The arrest campaign extended across the territory, targeting former prisoners in Nablus, a mayor in Salfit, and numerous civilians in the villages surrounding al-Khalil and Tulkarm. The IOF also detained Sheikh Mustafa Shawar, the head of the Association of Palestinian Scholars, from his home in al-Khalil.

Netanyahu Rejects Statehood as Recognition Grows

The escalating military aggression on the ground was matched by a stark political declaration from Israeli leadership. In a video message, Prime Minister Netanyahu unequivocally rejected Palestinian sovereignty, vowing to counter the recent recognition of Palestine by the UK, Canada, and Australia.

“There will be no Palestinian state,” Netanyahu stated, labeling the diplomatic moves a “huge reward for terrorism.” He further pledged to continue the expansion of illegal settlements, a policy that systematically erodes Palestinian land and prospects for a future state.