ISRAELI settlers, backed by the Israeli military, continue their campaign of violence in the occupied West Bank with alarming impunity. The latest incidents, in which at least two mosques were set ablaze and racist slogans were sprayed on their walls, came only days after settlers killed four Palestinians and Israeli forces detained dozens more in sweeping raids. These attacks are not isolated occurrences, they are part of a disturbing pattern that has turned life for Palestinians into a daily ordeal marked by fear, insecurity and hopelessness.
The plight of the Palestinian people deserves far greater international attention. Entire communities are effectively living under lockdown, isolated from one another and deprived of basic security. When attacks occur, residents often find themselves unable to call firefighters or seek any assistance. Such circumstances leave innocent civilians vulnerable and reinforce a climate of impunity. Israel has repeatedly shown that it has no regard whatsoever to humanitarian principles and international human rights obligations. Repeated attacks on civilians, places of worship and civilian infrastructure continue to be reported, while accountability remains elusive. Freedom of worship and the protection of religious sites are fundamental rights that must be safeguarded under all circumstances. At a time when global attention is largely focused on other crises in the Middle East, particularly efforts to prevent wider regional conflict, the suffering of the Palestinian people must not be allowed to fade into the background. Over the past several years, Palestinians have endured unprecedented levels of violence, displacement and destruction. Lasting peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without a just resolution of the Palestinian question. Those who champion human rights and the rule of law must step forward to protect Palestinian lives, dignity and religious freedoms. The internationally supported two-state solution remains the only viable path toward lasting peace, with an independent State of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
