Sanaa: Israeli rights group B'Tselem has accused Israel of encouraging ethnic cleansing against Palestinians following the killing of two Palestinians in the village of Deir Jarir in the occupied West Bank. The group stated that Israeli occupiers, along with soldiers and police, conducted a joint raid on the village near Ramallah, resulting in the deaths of Ahmad Abu Mukh, 26, and Odeh Farajna, 53. Three others were injured, with one remaining in serious condition.
According to Anadolu Agency, B'Tselem reported that Israeli forces assisted the occupiers during the raid, which included the theft of dozens of sheep. The group released footage from an ambulance camera showing the moment Abu Mukh was shot in the lower abdomen, later succumbing to his injuries. B'Tselem's Executive Director, Yuli Novak, condemned the actions, stating that the incident exemplifies how Israel allegedly supports ethnic cleansing in the West Bank. Novak criticized the international community for allowing these actions to persist due to the impunity granted to Israel.
The group highlighted that approximately 750,000 occupiers reside in 141 illegal settlements and 224 outposts across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. These areas have seen repeated attacks aimed at displacing Palestinians. Since the onset of Israel's military actions in Gaza on October 8, 2023, there has been a reported increase in attacks on Palestinians and their properties in the West Bank. B'Tselem claims that 1,092 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, including at least 242 children and teenagers.
The rights group further detailed that Israeli attacks encompass vandalism, home demolitions, farmland destruction, and the expansion of illegal settlements, all contributing to the displacement of Palestinians. These acts, according to Palestinians, are perceived as part of a strategy to annex the West Bank and undermine the establishment of a Palestinian state, as outlined in UN resolutions.
The historical context provided by B'Tselem points to the establishment of Israel in 1948 on lands occupied by Zionist groups, resulting in the displacement of at least 750,000 Palestinians. The ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories continues, with Israel refusing to withdraw.