PA's Abbas calls for end to 'systemic' settler violence, requests support from UN, Arab leaders

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has called for urgent international intervention to halt escalating Israeli settler violence in the West Bank and what he termed "ongoing Israeli military aggression." In a statement released Sunday, Abbas characterized the settler violence as exceeding isolated incidents, labeling it a deliberate Israeli policy designed to undermine the Palestinian National Authority and jeopardize the prospects of a two-state solution. Abbas detailed the impact of recent escalations, including property destruction, the defacement of religious and agricultural sites, and "hundreds of civilian casualties" in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. He confirmed sending letters to leaders in the Arab world, the European Union, the President of the UN Security Council, and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, seeking their support. In these appeals, Abbas outlined the "legal and moral responsibilities" of the international community to mitigate Palestinian displacement and hold the Israeli government accountable. He specifically referenced UN Resolution 2334, which declares Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory illegal, noting its consistent lack of enforcement. The statement follows a recent surge in Israeli settler violence. On Saturday night, a mosque in the West Bank village of Kusra was set ablaze, reportedly in retaliation for a Friday attack that targeted an Israeli agriculture coordinator and a military officer. In the village of Beitillu, five vehicles were torched, and agricultural equipment was destroyed. Two Palestinians were reportedly injured and hospitalized following these incidents. Recent weeks have also seen violence against Israelis, including fires and stabbings. On Saturday, two Israeli men, one an off-duty soldier, were injured when a Palestinian man allegedly threw rocks and stole a weapon. In response to the heightened tensions, IDF Central Command Chief Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth banned Palestinian workers from entering Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.

“

systemic Israeli policy issue.