“In 2016, Israeli forces shot Murad’s 11-year-old son, Khaled, in the leg with a live bullet, fracturing his thighbone. When a family friend tried to carry him to safety, the soldiers shot him too. Khaled’s thighbone is now 3cm shorter, and he still has problems walking as a result of his injury. ‘We still believe in our rights, and this gives us the will to continue’, says Murad, who has been arrested four times since 2011. ‘We must do everything we can to stop our children having the same life.'” EA Jamie

Palestinians living in the West Bank face violence and harassment from Israeli forces on a frequent basis, including verbal and physical assault, random stop searches, and arbitrary arrests and home raids. B’Tselem report that between January 2009 and December 2020, 449 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank.

Palestinians in the West Bank also live with the risk of attack from Israeli settlers. Incidents include verbal and physical assault, stone throwing, attacks on homes, arson and destruction of property. Between January 2009 and December 2020, 28 Palestinians were killed by Israeli civilians in the West Bank (B’Tselem).

The risk of violence has a serious impact on the lives of Palestinians, particularly those living in Area C and the H2 area of Hebron, where there are large numbers of settlers. Children walking to school and farmers accessing their fields are particularly vulnerable to settler violence and harassment. During the annual olive harvest, the most important time of year for the Palestinian economy, settler attacks are especially frequent. EAs have reported Palestinian farmers experiencing intimidation, destroyed trees, olive theft and attacks on livestock.

As the occupying power, the Israeli authorities are responsible for criminal justice in the West Bank, meaning that Palestinians in this area have no access to impartial law enforcement. When reporting incidents to the police, many Palestinians have experienced intimidation.

Failure to address violence against Palestinians means that there are usually no consequences for settlers. This contrasts with the response of the Israeli military to suspected acts of Palestinian crime, where 95% of cases in the end in conviction.

Despite International law conferring a legal duty on the Israeli government to maintain public safety and order in the West Bank, the Israeli military rarely intervene to protect Palestinians from attack. This imbalance means that grave violence is committed with no accountability or consequence.

Instances of Palestinian violence in the West Bank include verbal and physical assaults on Israeli authorities and settlers, the throwing of stones and Molotov cocktails. There have also been shootings and stabbing attacks (B’Tselem). Between January 2009 and December 2020, Palestinians killed 60 Israeli civilians in the West Bank, and 26 Israeli security personnel.

During the Second Intifada, Palestinian violence included suicide bombings, shootings and stabbing attacks in populated areas and on public transport, as well as the throwing of stones at people and vehicles. They also included the firing of rockets and mortar shells from Gaza into Israel

3308 Palestinians were killed in Gaza over the same period.