Palestinian villagers in the occupied West Bank say they are at a breaking point due to increasing settler violence and military raids. The Israeli military has made dozens of arrests and blocked roadways through the West Bank after a recent incident in the village of Tal, where four Palestinians and two Israelis were killed.

Settler Violence on the Rise

The incident occurred after villagers from Tal confronted a large group of armed settlers who they said tried to enter houses in the village. The Israeli military said there was a “violent confrontation” between dozens of Palestinians and Israeli civilians in which shots were fired on both sides.

Ahmed Ramadan, 71, the father of one of the Palestinians killed, said settlers have continually harassed their home on the edge of Tal. “They say we are terrorists. We are not terrorists,” said Ramadan. He said the settler killed on Friday, Benayahu Mellet, had previously come to his home and yelled at him to leave and go to Syria or Jordan.

Palestinians from Tal said settlers attacked them first before one of the villagers wrestled a gun from one of the settlers. The incident followed a pattern seen repeatedly around the West Bank, with large groups of settlers appearing near Palestinian communities, threatening and harassing their inhabitants, often as security forces stand by.

International Law and Settlements

The United Nations, Palestinians, and most countries regard settlements as illegal under international law. Israel disputes this, saying the West Bank, which it captured in the 1967 war, is disputed territory, and citing biblical ties to the land.

Since Friday, residents said there have been daily military raids on Tal, with between 60 and 80 people detained. About 30 remain in detention according to the deputy head of the village council Munther Shtayya.

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