Palestinian villages east of Ramallah have seen a sharp surge in attacks by Israeli settlers, with residents and rights groups warning of a coordinated campaign aimed at forcibly displacing local populations under the protection of Israeli occupation forces.

These rural areas, known for their extensive farmlands and grazing grounds, have become flashpoints of violence, especially since October 2023. According to the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, nine Palestinians have been killed by settlers in the West Bank this year, seven of whom were from eastern Ramallah. In July alone, three fatalities were recorded, including two young men from al-Mazra’a ash-Sharqiya defending nearby Sinjil.

Many villagers hold dual nationalities, notably American, yet this has done little to deter settler aggression. Abdul-Samad Abdul-Aziz, a local council member and U.S. citizen, said, “Settlers attack without fear or regard for foreign citizenship.” He criticised the U.S. for issuing vague statements rather than condemning such violence, pointing to the killing of American citizen Saif Allah Maslat as an example. Abdul-Aziz further accused the current U.S. ambassador of adopting positions more extreme than those of Israeli far-right ministers.

Settlers have also targeted the industrial zone of al-Mazra’a ash-Sharqiya, home to 800 workers, attempting to torch factories and intimidate Palestinian investors, especially those with foreign connections.

The violence is largely driven by extremist settler groups such as the "Hilltop Youth," whose activities have intensified since October. Abdullah Abu Rahma of the Resistance Commission highlighted their success in displacing 33 Bedouin communities, which has emboldened further assaults on neighbouring villages.

Settlement researcher Ahmad Hanayti described the attacks as strategic. “Settlers are deliberately targeting villages with residents more likely to emigrate,” he said. Following the forced displacement of smaller Bedouin communities through violence and harassment, settlers are now focusing on larger villages, using fear as a tool to expand their presence.

“These are not isolated incidents,” Hanayti added. “Settlers operate within a broader system, working in coordination with occupation forces to displace Palestinians and seize control of their land.”

Despite mounting pressure and violence, local residents remain resolute. “We will not leave. This is our land, and we will defend it,” they affirm.