Settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has increased in recent months. Standing Together is working to protect Palestinian villagers through their Solidarity Guard. The North East branch of UK Friends of Standing Together used this work as a focus for their latest vigil in Newcastle.
Settler violence in the West Bank
It was reported on 12 August that two Palestinian families had been besieged in their homes in the occupied West Bank by Israeli settlers for three days. Rights groups were said to be urging the authorities to help the families who were running out of supplies
The first Israeli soldiers who arrived at the scene following the Palestinian homeowners making their initial report to the Israeli army, were “filmed praying with the settlers”.
The Abu Ridi and Hassan families have appealing for help on social media after their food stocks ran low and their water and power supplies were cut off.
Putting the violence into context
The Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem issued a report noting that Israel has misappropriated more than two million dunams (200 000 hectares) of the West Bank for its own purposes, since occupying the land in 1967. In the time since 1967, they paved roads and built and expanded settlements for settlers. The state have officially taken over some of the areas, while settler violence has also resulted in land being taken from Palestinians.
Additionally, B’Tselem notes that “these two seemingly unrelated tracks are both forms of state violence: the Israeli apartheid regime and its representatives actively aid and abet the settlers’ violence as part of a strategy to cement the takeover of Palestinian land”.
Meanwhile on 20 August, Human Rights Watch issued a report stating that as many as 107 Palestinian communities had been displaced by Israeli settler attacks, since January 2023, while “settlers responsible for attacks operate with the financial, material, and legal backing of the Israeli state”.
Furthermore, the report also stated that dozens more Palestinian communities were at risk of being wiped out.
Standing Together protecting Palestinians
In response to the attacks, the Israeli-Palestinan organisation Standing Together has been protecting Palestinians in the West Bank through their Solidarity Guard.
In this country the UK Friends of Standing Together (UKFoST) have been supporting this work. Indeed, the NE branch of UKFoST put on their third vigil dedicated to the work of standing Together in protecting Palestinians in the West Bank.
Vigil on 23 August
Placards were laid on the ground, proclaiming “No one is safe until everyone is free” and “Equal rights not occupation.” Standing Together activists wore T-shirts. Proclaiming peace, equality and social justice
Introducing the vigil, Amy noted that it was a gathering of the North East branch of UKFoST and while the branch was still quite small, every great movement’s beginning is small. This was followed by a short explanation of who UK FoST and Standing Together are and what they do.
So often these days what we hear is rooted in division but Stnading Together says that a different future is possible.
We were then told that the focus of the vigil was on the Settler Violence in the West Bank and how standing Together volunteers were bearing witness to the terrible violence inflicted on Palestinians and that there are people who are standing alongside Palestinian people and documenting what is happening and not simply looking away.
Palestinians in the West Bank are suffering attacks on their homes and their livelihoods with as many a six Settler attacks every day this year, causing people to be frightened, trapped in their own homes as Settlers surround them, while losing farmland access to water.
So, what are people doing about it? Standing Together is providing protective presence, including sitting with people through the night as that is when Settler attacks are most likely.
This is what real solidarity looks like letting besieged people know that they are not alone.
Standing Together will also be supporting Palestinians throughout the olive harvest. Protecting the crop and the farmers and showing that there is an alternative choice of cooperation between people.
We were then given an account of a report from Standing Together in Israel about a recent confrontation where soldiers were aiding and abetting Settlers.
This was followed by a poem about love and family being desirable and not war before a very moving song about people coming together.
The vigil ended with us holding a ball of red string together, representing connector and solidarity while we held ten minutes silence.
During this, a busker who had kindly taken a break while the vigil was held sang the Cranberries; song Zombies about the Troubles in Northern Ireland and the futility of violence. It seemed very appropriate…
Huge surge in violence
Neil Shashoua from the NE branch commented: “There has been a huge surge in violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Since January 2023, 127 Palestinian communities have been fully or partially pushed off of their land, affecting more than 6,390 Palestinians, the UN says.
“This year alone, there have as many as six attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians every single day this year alone. There have been 18 Palestinians killed by settlers just this year.
“Although there is evidence of the Israeli army, on the ground, protecting the settlers and aiding their attacks on Palestinians (if nothing else by not intervening), Palestinian communities in the West Bank are not alone. Standing Together and other groups are providing a protective presence without using violence. They are standing with Palestinian villagers facing these attacks, staying over with families round the clock to not only bear witness to the attacks but to provide practical assistance such as food and water, and help to call the authorities and to make them accountable.
“Their presence has reduced the number of attacks and ensured that many Palestinians living in the West Bank are not isolated.”
A different future is possible
I am old enough to remember the apartheid regime in South Africa and how it looked as if it would go on for ever. I can also remember when people said that the Troubles in Northern Ireland would never be solved.
Standing Together is showing that there can also be a different way forward in Israel and Palestine.
A way of peace. A way of cooperation. A way that will enable Palestinian and Israeli children to grow and flourish.
To learn more about Standing Together please see here .
To learn more about the UK Friends of Standing Together please see here .
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