A very alarming situation is the recent attack on a Palestinian refugee support unit (Unrwa) by Israeli settlers in Jerusalem has raised concerns.  The settlers caused severe damage and destruction. Palestinian news source Wafa published reports stating that settlers set blades to the perimeter of the building and burnt trees and grass which was outside on the property, which is situated in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. 

Bargaining eyewitnesses attested to the fact that some Unrwa workers were there and spent time putting out the blaze to lessen the spread of the fire. Nevertheless, Israeli security was at the place, but there are reports that they did not stop the settlers from doing the act of moving and instigating the fires. 

On the positive side, nobody was reported to be injured. However, the fire caused massive damage to the property, and the commissioner general of Unrwa, Lazzarini Phillippe, lowered the compound operations due to the high-security risk to staff members. 

“Another act of unreasonable viciousness! UN staff was indirectly targeted.  Yes, once again, the lives were in great danger. ” Lazzarini retorted. 

The attack regarding the issue is a repetition of the previous event, as the UNRWA headquarters were attacked by another group of settlers just two days ago. These assaults are preceded, if not directly, by the organised peaceful protests by far-right Israeli settlers in the vicinity for months now. 

Lazzarini has called for the investigation of such devastating attacks, highlighting the core principle that UN staff and mission properties should always be safe and protected. In such a way, he states,” Anything less than this will form a new dangerous precedent. “

Incidents of settler violence surged after the commencement of the war in Gaza on October 7, 2008, when Hamas-led attacks were allegedly made on southern Israel, which aimed at disturbing the safety of the residents in the region. Since then, the Israeli army has been the perpetrator of more than 34,000 murders in Gaza in addition to its demolition of civilian infrastructure in the enclave. 

Far-right Israeli settlers target Auludoth Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as peace brokers. The Israeli military has recruited 5,500 settlers, which include some with a criminal background of assaulting Palestinians, to about hommes forces in “regional defence” battalions in the West Bank. Not just the Israeli authorities gave 7,000 guns to missioners, but others as civilian security squads with the settlements were established, according to Haaretz and Israeli rights groups. 

A UN humanitarian office attests to at least 800 violent cases of Israeli settlements against Palestinians from October.  The consequences include the infliction of casualties or the destruction of property. Human Rights Watch’s reports in the last month made evident that violent attacks from settlers in the West Bank displaced Palestinians from 20 communities; they were forced to move out, including several wholly uprooted communities since October 7, 2023. 

While the US and UK have both decided to impose penalties on the Israeli settlers who use violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, the impunity has persisted.