Who is behind settler violence in the occupied West Bank?

Jerusalem – As illegal Israeli settlement activity expands across the occupied West Bank, violent settler groups have emerged at the forefront of escalating attacks on Palestinians and their property with the aim of creating new realities on the ground.

These groups are driven by hard-line religious and nationalist ideology that advocates the expansion of settlements, the expulsion of Palestinians, and the assertion of dominance over what they call “Judea and Samaria”, referring to the West Bank.

Despite differences in their structure and methods of operation, they share the goal of entrenching settler presence, forcing Palestinians from their land, and thwarting any political process that could curb the growth of settlements, which are considered illegal under international law.

Following Israel’s withdrawal from the Gush Katif settlements in Gaza in 2005, many members joined the Youth for the Land of Israel movement before later dispersing into several frameworks, most notably Nahala, led by Daniella Weiss alongside Rabbi Moshe Levinger, and the Torah Core in Hebrew Cities movement, led by Meir Bertler, while others joined the Land of Israel and Derech Chaim movements, led by Rabbis Avraham Sigron and Yitzhak Ginsburgh.

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