Beyond the violent attacks, a large-scale ethnic cleansing campaign has been underway in the occupied West Bank since the local olive harvest, a crucial moment in Palestinian economic and social life, began at the end of September. In just a few days, Israeli settlers have attacked several hundred times across much of the West Bank's rural areas, as recorded by local sources and non-governmental organizations. Dozens of people have been reported injured by local sources, several of them seriously. The settlers' goal is clear, and they have stated it a long time ago: to terrorize the Palestinians, in order to force them to flee their land and then establish new settlements there.

It has become impossible to make a comprehensive tally of the attacks, given the sheer number of them. Hundreds of masked settlers, armed with sticks, stones and often firearms as well, have harassed Palestinian villagers on a daily basis. Since the week of October 5, several vehicles have been set on fire, a mosque and other buildings have been vandalized and livestock has been poisoned, stolen or slaughtered. This was the case in the village of Kafr Malik on Saturday, according to Le Monde's photographer on the ground.

Journalists have also been attacked, including American photojournalist Heidi Levine, who was assaulted and injured on Friday, October 16. The following day, a delegation of Belgian, Polish and French diplomats, who had come to participate in the harvest in the Christian village of Taybeh, was attacked by settlers. Despite all the evidence, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cast doubt on the seriousness of the events and suggested that reports of the recent incidents were part of "a coordinated campaign to smear Israel." You have 80.36% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.