Last week, amid a joint speech by American leader Donald Trump and Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu at the Israeli parliament, fellow parliamentarian Ayman Odeh and I raised a banner calling for the recognition of Palestine. We were violently removed from the parliamentary assembly, exposing the fragile condition of what's frequently described as the "sole democracy in the Middle East". How can leaders talk about regional peace while declining to acknowledge a population deprived of basic freedoms and rights under decades-long military control?
The Reality in the West Bank
In no place is the deceit more apparent than in the occupied West Bank. There, words of peace seem distant and weak, while the frightening echoes of colonist attacks and terror continue strongly. Over 30 occurrences of violence by settlers against Palestinian civilians have been documented since the unveiling of the Trump administration's peace proposal in September's end, including attacks, theft of crops, and torching of cars and belongings.
Targeted Aggression During Harvest Season
The increase in violence by colonists is not coincidental. This time signals the start of harvest seasons. Beyond a crucial economic event, it represents an important communal and national occasion that shows resilience under military rule. Precisely for these causes, year after year settlers target Palestinian farmers during this precious time. During the 2024 harvest period, rights groups documented 113 separate incidents of aggression, intimidation, harvest-thwarting, or destruction to olive trees and produce involving settlers and military personnel, which occurred on territories belonging to 51 Palestinian villages, municipalities, and areas.
Israel's security forces appeared to have played a greater role in obstructing the olive harvest
Yesh Din also found that "Israeli military seemed to have had a greater role in hindering the harvesting season". In approximately 70% of instances where entry to lands was violently prevented, soldiers, border guards, and settlement civilian security coordinators were actually present. They either directly prevented Palestinians from reaching and gathering their own lands, or neglected to prevent colonists who harassed or assaulted them.
Political Support for Colonization
This is no surprise, as the head of the colonists' political movement, Bezalel Smotrich, was named as an additional official in the Defense Ministry in charge of the territorial coordination unit. In one village, for example, a special COGAT unit removed personally-owned olive plants of Palestinians, citing missing documentation, but overlooked violations by an unauthorized nearby colonist encampment. Last week, the Jerusalem district court ruled to stop all building work in the outpost, which was built on property taken by Israel and illegally given to colonists.
Annexation Goals and Global Reaction
In the controlled West Bank, colonist violence is simply a tool used by the administration to pursue practical incorporation. Recently, Smotrich headed a procession of many of settlers in favor of taking over the West Bank. He was quoted as stating, "We are continuing to establish presence with our feet of the Land of Israel with many pioneers, many champions, and hundreds of thousands of colonists who live in this area of the territory ... we must to normalize it and establish it permanently."
The settlers and their supporters in the Knesset are clear about their intentions and goals. Why, then, do political leaders in the Western nations refrain from meaningful sanctions and diplomatic measures? Smotrich was sanctioned by the United Kingdom in June, but the effect of the penalty has been minimal. He may not be permitted to travel to the United Kingdom and tour the London's entertainment district, but he still maintains the governmental authority to take territories in the West Bank. Even in the declaration of penalties, the British government emphasized they take place "personally" solely.
International Acknowledgment and Reality
If the British administration recognizes the reality of settler violence and its grave implications on Palestinian life, why does it still allow goods from settlements to be marketed in markets and outlets in the UK? If Starmer is genuine about acknowledging Palestinian statehood as a sovereign entity, how come he allow the Israeli government to breach its sovereignty with such aggressive methods? Or was the acknowledgment an empty ploy to silence opposition in the UK, a meaningless act only to be implemented in the relabeling of some cartographic representations?
Pathway to Genuine Peace
A just resolution must honor the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people for self-recognition, sovereignty, and liberty from military occupation and blockade. Only when every human being's dignity across the Jordan River and sea is honored can we truly say reconciliation has been attained.
True peace requires an sovereign Palestinian state alongside the Israeli state: this is the only solution that enjoises agreement among the international community, the Palestinian leadership, and the Israeli peace advocates.
The former US president may have applied influence on Netanyahu to halt the genocide, but he probably only did so because the burden of his connection with the pariah regime of Netanyahu had become excessive. The large demonstrations across the globe for the freedom of Palestine, and the unwavering opposition demonstrations inside Israel, are the real factors behind this influence.
It is due to this massive public campaign that a ceasefire has been agreed, the hostages freed, and the residents of Gaza can enjoy safeguard from destruction. Following the truce arrangement has been signed, it is crucial to continue maintaining this influence. The international community has turned a blind eye to the violence in Gaza for many years; it must not repeat the same mistake in the West Bank.
