Settler-military overlap fuels violence and impunity in the West Bank

Residents of Kobar say a local settler known as “Ghazal” repeatedly entered the al-Daak farming area in army attire, firing weapons, demanding keys, and confiscating sheep and solar panels, often calling on Border Police for assistance. In a related incident, a settler-reservist ran over Mohammad Majdi Abu Makho while he prayed, pepper-sprayed him, and later faced a military investigation that led to his weapon’s confiscation and suspension of his reserve duties.

The death of 23-year-old Ali Majed Hamadneh in Deir Jarir was described by the Israeli army as a response to stone-throwing, but B’Tselem’s report linked the fatal shot to a reservist who opened fire while protecting settler livestock. Since the October 2023 Gaza conflict, the Israeli military has called up thousands of West Bank settlers as reservists, granting them broad autonomy and special police powers, a development that has drawn EU sanctions against Hashomer Yosh and its leader Avichai Suissa. Human-rights groups note that the blurred lines between civilian settlers and the army hinder accountability, with most complaints against soldiers closed without investigation.