Despite Western countries claiming to support a two-state solution, they have done little to pressure Israel to curb the expansion of settlements in Palestinian territory. The Canadian government recently announced sanctions against four Israeli settlers in the West Bank due to a surge in violence against Palestinians during the conflict in Gaza.
These sanctions come as other Western nations, like the United States, also express frustration with Israel’s failure to address settler attacks. However, current actions have been limited to targeting a few individuals, rather than taking broader steps against the settler movement.
In the midst of escalating violence, settler attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank have increased, with little intervention from Israeli authorities. This lack of accountability is reflected in the low conviction rates for such attacks, with only a small percentage resulting in legal consequences.
For Palestinians, this continued violence by settlers and lack of repercussions from the state only confirm their belief that both groups are complicit in the displacement of Palestinians and the expansion of Jewish settlements in the region.