A Palestinian town in the West Bank, Sinjil, has formed a grassroots volunteer group to defend itself against rising Israeli settler violence. The group, made up of 15 volunteers, patrols the town and surrounding hills to watch for any signs of settler attacks.

Settler Violence on the Rise

Settler attacks have killed two people and displaced over 100 from the Bedouin Palestinian community living on town land, according to the head of Sinjil’s municipality, Moataz Tawafsha. The violence has also displaced 20 families from their homes in the town’s core.

The Israeli government has approved hundreds of new settlements and settler outposts across the West Bank, which Palestinians say has led to an increase in violence. The Israeli military has denied any wrongdoing, saying it deploys troops to disperse confrontations but that responsibility for Israeli civilian actions in the West Bank lies with the Israeli police.

Community Protection

Residents of Sinjil have taken to using searchlights and WhatsApp groups to alert each other to potential attacks. The town has also installed metal bars over windows and built metal fences around homes to protect against settler violence.

Despite the challenges, some residents credit the community protection efforts for their survival. One resident, Abed Foqahaa, said that young men from the town helped him and his family escape their home after settlers threw a Molotov cocktail through their window.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.