While 1291 attacks by the Israelis, who usurped Palestinian lands, were recorded in the occupied West Bank in 2023, this number increased to 1449 in 2024, 1835 in 2025 and 761 in only the first four months of 2026.
The fact that the Israeli police close more than 90 percent of the files filed against the Israelis who usurped Palestinian lands without preparing any indictment, and the conviction rate remains at only 3 percent, creates a de facto area of immunity for extremist groups and paves the way for reckless repetition of attacks.
Israeli journalist and author Gideon Levy evaluated the increasing attacks in the West Bank by the Israelis who usurped Palestinian lands, to the AA correspondent.
Levy pointed out that the attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank were carried out systematically and stated that since the Israelis could not remove 3 million people from their lands at once, shepherds and villagers, the weaker links of the society, were targeted first.
Levy stated that the Israelis, who usurped Palestinian lands, targeted villages and ground floors of buildings in the West Bank, and said, "There is no doubt that the violence against the Palestinian people is part of a broader policy aimed at expanding the settlements established by Israel on the seized lands and gaining control of more Palestinian lands." he said
Pointing to the increasing attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank by the Israelis who usurped Palestinian lands, Levy said, "You see that there is a holistic thought behind this. This is an attempt at ethnic cleansing in the West Bank. It is carried out systematically and supported by Israeli officials." he said.
Levy said that the attacks carried out by the Israelis in the West Bank, who usurped Palestinian lands, were supported by the Israeli army and government, and that these attacks were carried out to remove the Palestinians from the West Bank.
"The Israeli army personally participates in mass lynching actions"
Noting that the Israeli government supports the Israelis who usurped Palestinian lands with huge budgets and that there is no one to stop them thanks to the government support, Levy underlined that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paved the way for all of this and therefore he is also responsible.
Levy stated that the attacks against Palestinians went unanswered and the reason behind this was the legal system in Israel, and continued his words as follows:
"This (the legal system in Israel) is a system of apartheid. It's that simple. Jews and Palestinians are not equal in the West Bank. We are not in a country, but the situation is very clear. The legal system is also completely paralyzed. The police do not conduct investigations. And in cases where they do, it is extremely rare for anyone to be brought to justice."
Noting that Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich played a major role in increasing the attacks of the Israelis who usurped Palestinian lands, Levy said that Finance Minister Smotrich, in particular, financed the land grab movement.
Levy pointed out that the Israeli army cooperated with the aggressive Israelis in attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and said:
"The Israeli army itself participates in some of the mass lynchings. So it is not the case that they try to prevent the attacks and fail. They have no intention of preventing this. This goes far beyond the Israeli army's view of the West Bank. According to them, their only duty in the West Bank is to protect the settlers. The settlers do whatever they do. The Palestinians, on the other hand, are left completely helpless. There is no one to protect the Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority is not allowed to intervene. The residents of the region are trying to protect themselves on their own." "And if they try, they are immediately shot or arrested."
"Even if the government changes, there will be no serious change in policies towards the Palestinians."
Levy noted that the Israelis, who usurped Palestinian lands, do not care about the reactions from the world despite the increasing attacks and even believe that these reactions are "antisemitic" and said:
"They do not see any connection between the crimes committed by Israel and the world's reaction. They blame the world, accuse the world of anti-Semitism. Do not forget that there have been no really effective sanctions against Israel so far. There are always condemnations and statements. The world has not taken really serious and concrete measures against Israel. Your country, Turkey, has obviously taken it. However, the West, that is, the European Union and the USA, have not taken any measures against Israel. Therefore, the Israelis are not afraid of this (the world's reaction) at all."
Stating that Israel is trying to escalate tension not only in the West Bank but also in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran before the upcoming elections, Levy stated that Netanyahu is in a very bad position in the opinion polls regarding the general elections planned to be held on October 27 and that he believes that only a war can save him from the election result.
Levy shared the view that the current Israeli government is trying to achieve as much as possible in the West Bank before the elections because it thinks it will lose the general elections, and that none of the lands they seized in the process will be given back to the Palestinians.
Noting that if Netanyahu loses the election, all right-wing parties that support him will remain in opposition, Levy predicted that far-right parties will continue to take part in the Parliament even if they cannot find a place in the government.
Levy noted that he does not expect a major change in Israeli policies even if the government changes, and concluded his words as follows:
"There will be no major change in the policy towards the Palestinians, nor on the Gaza issue, nor on the south of Lebanon. On these issues, there is not a big difference between Netanyahu and his rival, Gadi Eisenkot, or whoever replaces him. Neither of them criticized the genocide in Gaza. None of them seem seriously disturbed by what is happening in the West Bank. Maybe they will stop the settlers in the West Bank a little. But from a strategic point of view, the Palestinian state, the end of the occupation, the end of the apartheid system "None of these issues concern them. This is Israel's policy, not the policy of one government or another."
