Is settler violence getting worse in the West Bank?

On 11 May, the European Union approved sanctions on Israeli individuals and organizations involved in supporting settlement expansion in the West Bank. This move comes amid a broader intensification of settler violence.

Nasser Khdour, Middle East Assistant Research Manager at ACLED, said: 

“2026 has already become the deadliest year for settler violence against Palestinians since ACLED began monitoring Palestine a decade ago. In just four months, the number of Palestinians killed by settlers has already surpassed the total recorded during all of 2025, which itself marked a record high. Attacks and raids on Palestinian villages and rural communities have become more frequent, and settlers appear to be more heavily armed, with no restrictions on the use of weapons.

“Incidents have included attacks on Palestinians, property destruction, damage to farming equipment and facilities, tree uprooting, and grazing on Palestinian agricultural land. Other incidents have involved looting, including the theft of equipment, sheep, and crops.

“Another rising trend is the increase in incidents linked to land seizure that began in 2025, which the EU sanctions most directly address. These activities, supported by public figures within the Israeli government, include setting up tents or mobile rooms on Palestinian land, fencing off land and agricultural areas, opening settlement roads, and expanding settlement spaces at the expense of Palestinian land. Such actions do not always involve direct violence but they change control on the ground and restrict Palestinian access to land.”