Israel arrests dozens of Palestinians in West Bank amid settler attacks Military crackdown follows a shooting that killed four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers. Israel is pushing ahead with its military crackdown across the occupied West Bank, arresting dozens following a shooting that killed four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers. On Saturday morning, Israeli forces arrested nearly 50 Palestinians in the village of Tal, southwest of Nablus, where Friday’s shooting took place, while raiding roughly 70 homes.

Recommended Stories list of 4 items- list 1 of 4Israel launches clampdown after deadly violence in occupied West Bank - list 2 of 4Funerals held for four Palestinians killed in deadly West Bank shooting - list 3 of 4Netanyahu to meet Trump at White House next week amid Iran war escalation - list 4 of 4Israel’s illegal settlements are Europe’s credibility test Footage posted by Quds News Network shows two blindfolded men being led away by Israeli soldiers. The arrests are part of what Israel’s military has described as an “extensive” operation launched in response to Friday’s shooting. On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered a “wide-scale military operation” in Palestinian villages across the occupied West Bank following an attack near the illegal Havat Gilad settlement that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others.

According to sources and witnesses, Israeli settlers attacked several Palestinian communities in the Nablus governorate, setting fire to Palestinian homes and other property. The Palestinian Health Ministry says at least 87 Palestinians have been killed by Israelis in attacks across the West Bank since the beginning of the year, 21 of them by settlers, who critics say have become emboldened by the lack of international pressure on Israel to end its siege of Gaza, as well as the rhetoric of far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. Albanese calls attacks as ‘pogroms’ UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese on Saturday described Israeli attacks against Palestinian civilians across the occupied West Bank as “pogroms,” calling for an immediate arms embargo and a halt to trade with Israel.

“Pogroms against defenseless civilians all over the West Bank, while Gaza is under fire,” Albanese posted on X. She accused Israeli civilians and the army of “joining forces” in the attacks, arguing that responsibility was not limited to Netanyahu or “a few rotten apples”. “Arms embargo now — stop trade now,” Albanese said, adding that such measures are required under international law.

Israeli human rights groups have also urged the international community to take immediate action to stop state-backed settler violence in the West Bank, which has surged since Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza in 2023. In the West Bank, several arrests were also made in the northern city of Jenin, as well as in towns and villages across the governorate. Israeli forces raided multiple homes and deployed large numbers of troops.

Elsewhere, Israeli forces raided Tubas in the northeast and the Far’a refugee camp south of the city.