Palestinians in the West Bank defy Israeli settler attacks: 'We will stay'
Leila Warah
Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian village of at-Tuwani in the occupied West Bank on 19 July, burning a factory, a mosque and homes. Residents say the assault is part of a broader campaign to displace them, but they are determined to remain on their land.
At-Tuwani, occupied West Bank – In the early hours of 19 July, a group of 30 to 40 masked Israeli settlers attacked the village of at-Tuwani in the Masafer Yatta area south of the Hebron hills. They set fire to a factory, a mosque and several homes, throwing gasoline and stones, and spraying the Star of David and the Hebrew word for 'revenge' on walls.
Khadera Ima, 72, was sleeping on the roof at the time. She told Al Jazeera: 'I saw them burning the factory, the mosque and the houses. They threw gasoline and stones at my home. My son was at the window. Luckily, they did not kill him.'
The attack lasted about 10 minutes before villagers drove the attackers back. However, Ima's daughter-in-law, two months pregnant, miscarried after the incident, the family said.
Adam al-Adara, 21, another resident, described the horror of seeing houses on fire. 'If people do not defend themselves, the settlers will enter, kill them and burn the house they are in,' he said.
Rising violence backdrop
At-Tuwani has just over 200 residents and lies in Area C of the West Bank, under full Israeli military control. In recent years, the village has faced raids, demolition orders and land confiscation.
Sami Huraini, a village council member and field researcher on settler attacks, said the 19 July incident marked a new escalation in scale and nature. He described it as part of a system involving both settlers and the Israeli military, aimed at pushing Palestinians off their land.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in the first five months of 2026, there were an average of six settler attacks causing casualties or property damage per day, bringing the total to more than 1,000 this year. Israeli human rights group B'Tselem documented 63 Palestinian communities forcibly displaced between October 2023 and June 2026.
In the Masafer Yatta area, OCHA records about 20 Israeli settlements and outposts, all considered illegal under international law. One, Havat Maon, borders at-Tuwani. Residents say some attackers came from there.
Determination to remain
On 20 July, settlers returned with assault rifles and stood at Ima's door, saying the house no longer belonged to her family and they should leave. She replied: 'I am not afraid of you or of your country. This house I will protect.'
On 24 July, settlers escorted by the Israeli military held an annual prayer service inside a private Palestinian garden. Huraini said: 'We have no protection from anyone, so we protect ourselves.' The village installed cameras and organizes overnight watches.
Despite relentless pressure, at-Tuwani's residents insist they will not become the next community forced off their land. 'We will stay,' Huraini said.
