Israeli President Condemns Settler Violence in West Bank

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich directed the advancement of demolition orders for the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar in the E1 corridor east of Jerusalem. Smotrich linked the move to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant request against him.

The Knesset Education Committee advanced a bill that would create a heritage authority for the West Bank and Gaza, granting Israeli civilian bodies oversight of archaeological sites. The committee’s legal adviser said the measure contradicts international agreements Israel has signed, and the Israeli military opposed its application to Gaza.

On May 21, Israeli forces in al-Mughayyir set fire to farmland using tear gas canisters and fired on residents attempting to extinguish the flames, according to the Wafa news agency. On May 22, soldiers beat activist Mohammed Abu Naim and arrested children during a raid on the village.

On May 20, Israeli bulldozers demolished residential structures and animal shelters belonging to the Daraghmeh family in Ein el-Hilweh. The family’s lawyer had sent letters in April arguing the structures were protected under international law; the letters received no response.

On May 19, Israeli forces demolished two homes in Rantis without prior warning. On May 25, authorities began a large-scale confiscation of vehicles, tractors, and water tanks across multiple firing zones in the northern Jordan Valley. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported more than 50 settler attacks resulting in casualties or property damage during the week ending May 25.

This brought the 2026 total to 870 attacks across more than 220 communities.