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The State Department has condemned the escalating violence in the West Bank, calling for immediate de-escalation from both sides following recent clashes that resulted in casualties.
Last week, tensions flared as Israeli settlers intensified their search for a missing 14-year-old boy, leading to violent confrontations in several West Bank towns. The confrontations involved home and vehicle arson by dozens of Israeli settlers and skirmishes with local Palestinians, which led to the deaths of two Palestinians, ages 25 and 17, and injuries to many others. The situation deteriorated further when the boy was found dead on Saturday, described by the Israeli military as a victim of a “terrorist attack.”
🇵🇸 #Palestine - 🇮🇱 #Israel: Israeli settlers have reportedly attacked Palestinians in the West Bank towns of Duma and Beitin today. The violence began amidst anger over the death of a 14 year-old Israeli boy in the area, who many believe was murdered. pic.twitter.com/tbIOMjp3IA
— POPULAR FRONT (@PopularFront_) April 13, 2024
The US State Department labeled the incident as a “murder,” indicating the severity of the situation. Amidst these clashes, online footage showed Palestinians throwing rocks and Israeli military vehicles responding with tear gas, alongside street brawls between settlers and Palestinians.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, “The violence must stop. Civilians are never legitimate targets. We call on the authorities to take measures to protect all communities from harm, and we urge Israel and the Palestinian Authority to do everything possible to de-escalate tensions.”
The backdrop of these events comes as a significant rise in violence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem following the deadly Hamas attacks on October 7. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah, over 450 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or in settler-related violence since then. In response, the Biden administration has ramped up pressure on Israel to curtail the activities of illegal settlers, imposing multiple rounds of sanctions targeting those implicated in violence against Palestinians.
