Violence by Israeli settlers in parts of the occupied West Bank administered by the Palestinian Authority has risen sharply in 2026, according to a new report by Israeli human rights organization Yesh Din.
The report says almost two-thirds of recorded incidents of settler violence this year have occurred in Areas A and B, territories placed under varying degrees of Palestinian Authority control under the 1995 Oslo Accords.
Yesh Din says the figures point to a significant geographical shift in settler activity, which has historically been concentrated in Area C, where Israel maintains civil and security control.
Violence shifts toward Areas A and B
According to Yesh Din’s analysis, Area B has accounted for 55 per cent of recorded violent incidents so far in 2026, up from 25 per cent in 2025.
Over the same period, Area C’s share fell from 67 per cent to 37 per cent.
Yesh Din argues the change reflects increasing pressure on Palestinian communities in areas that have traditionally served as population centres and relatively safer spaces for Palestinians displaced or pressured from Area C.
The organization, which has documented settler violence for more than two decades, says Palestinians have increasingly been pushed toward Areas A and B as violence and settlement activity have intensified elsewhere in the West Bank.
How the West Bank is divided
Under the Oslo framework, the West Bank was divided into three administrative areas as an interim arrangement ahead of negotiations over a permanent settlement.
Area A accounts for roughly 18 per cent of the West Bank and includes major Palestinian cities. The Palestinian Authority is responsible for civil affairs and internal security there.
Area B represents about 22 per cent of the territory and includes many Palestinian towns and rural communities. The Palestinian Authority handles civil affairs and public order, while Israel retains overriding security powers.
Area C covers approximately 60 per cent of the West Bank and remains under Israeli civil and security control. Israeli settlements approved by the government are concentrated there. The settlements are widely regarded as illegal under international law, a position disputed by Israel.
New outposts expand beyond Area C
Yesh Din says that since 2024, Israeli settlers have increasingly established farming outposts extending into Areas A and B.
The report points to activity by the Hilltop Foundation, an organization that provides equipment, funding and other assistance for establishing Israeli outposts in the West Bank.
A map circulated earlier this summer in a WhatsApp group associated with the organization reportedly identified 16 outposts between the Palestinian cities of Ramallah and Nablus.
Yesh Din alleges that the establishment of such outposts, despite questions over their legality under Israeli law, demonstrates inadequate enforcement by Israeli authorities. The organization further argues that the expansion is consistent with calls from some members of Israel’s government for greater Israeli control over the West Bank.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have both publicly advocated abandoning elements of the Oslo framework and expanding Israeli authority in the territory.
International concern grows
The reported increase in violence comes amid growing international scrutiny of Israeli settlement activity and attacks against Palestinians.
The United States and European governments have imposed sanctions on some settlers and pro-settlement figures. France announced sanctions against Ben-Gvir this week, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot strongly condemning developments in the West Bank.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 18 Palestinians had been killed during attacks involving settlers as of July 20. The UN agency said 12 were killed by settlers and three by Israeli forces, while responsibility for three other deaths remained disputed.
The UN also recorded approximately 190 settler attacks per month during the first four months of 2026. If that pace continues, the number of incidents could exceed 2,000 by the end of the year.
Yesh Din warns of broader territorial strategy
Yesh Din argues that the expansion of settler outposts and associated violence is placing increasing pressure on Palestinians to leave rural areas surrounding their towns and villages.
The organization alleges that the pattern forms part of a broader effort to expand Israeli control over West Bank territory while reducing the Palestinian presence in strategically important areas.
It further accuses Israeli state institutions of enabling or failing to prevent systematic violence and displacement. These allegations remain contested and represent Yesh Din’s assessment of developments in the territory.
