OIC denounces escalating Israeli settler violence in occupied West Bank
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly condemned the alarming increase in crimes and acts of terrorism committed by Zionist settlers in the occupied West Bank, including East al-Quds, which target Palestinian civilians, their properties, lands, and sacred sites.
The general secretariat of the inter-governmental organization said in a statement on Saturday that the attacks, incitement, and organized acts of violence perpetrated by settler militias are occurring with the protection and support of Zionist regime’s occupation forces.
This represents a blatant breach of international law, relevant United Nations resolutions, and the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the statement read.
The OIC stated that the intensifying violence is a continuation of the annexation, forced displacement, ethnic cleansing, and genocide carried out by the occupying Israeli regime throughout the occupied Palestinian territory, designed to hinder any prospects of realizing a so-called two-state solution.
The organization reiterated its appeal to the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to fulfill its duties by taking decisive actions to stop these attacks, ensure international protection for the Palestinian people, and bring those accountable to justice under international criminal law.
The statement came on the same day that Israeli settlers poisoned livestock in the village of al-Mughayyir, east of Ramallah.
According to local sources, a group of settlers raided the al-Khala’il area and poisoned a flock of sheep belonging to Palestinian farmer Rizq Abu Na’im, leading to the death of three animals.
The village of al-Mughayyir has faced an alarming surge in attacks from settlers, involving the burning of vehicles, the defacement of property with racist graffiti, and the deliberate grazing of livestock on Palestinian-owned land. In a more recent incident, settlers also stole agricultural tools from the local residents.
Additionally, Israeli settlers assaulted Palestinian farmers on Saturday afternoon in an area southeast of Yatta, located south of al-Khalil.
Anti-settlement activist Osama Makhamreh told the Palestinian news agency WAFA that settlers from the illegal Susiya settlement, constructed on Palestinian territory, assaulted farmers belonging to the al-Nawajaa family in the southeastern region of Yatta.
He stated that the settlers punctured the tires of agricultural tractors, hurled stones at farmers, and targeted the homes of local families by throwing rocks and breaking a window in one of the houses.
In July 2024, the ICJ ruled that Israel’s prolonged occupation of historic Palestine was illegal.
The ICJ called for the removal of all current settlements in the West Bank and East al-Quds.
The court’s advisory opinion, although it lacks legal binding force, possesses substantial political influence as it signifies the first occasion that the ICJ has articulated a viewpoint regarding the legality of the 57-year occupation.