Violence by extremist Israelis against Palestinians declined 25%, security data shows - exclusive

Lead

Serious attacks by Israeli extremists against Palestinians in the West Bank have declined by approximately 25% since March, when such incidents reached their peak, according to new data presented to Israel's leadership. The figure refers to attacks that injured Palestinians or endangered lives, as reported by the Jerusalem Post. When considering all acts of violence, including those that did not endanger lives, the data shows an 11% decrease.

The decline follows intensified enforcement efforts by the IDF, Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), and the Israel Police against serious acts of violence committed by extremist Israelis against Palestinians in the West Bank. The Jerusalem Post reports that these efforts included a coordinated push to prevent and disrupt such incidents and bring those responsible to justice.

Coverage Comparison

The Jerusalem Post reported both the decline in attacks and a separate UN report detailing the scale of settler violence. The two reports provide different lenses on the situation: the first focuses on recent improvements, while the second underscores the ongoing toll of attacks since 2023.

According to the Jerusalem Post, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) released a map summarizing data on alleged extremist violent Jewish attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank from 2023 until April of this year. The map indicates that there have been "over 5,330 settler attacks resulting in casualties, property damage or both" since 2023. OCHA does not distinguish between Israeli Jews who live in the West Bank and those who live within the Green Line, referring to anyone who perpetrates a West Bank attack as a "settler."

The UN report notes that the Palestinian regions hardest hit by extremist Jewish attacks have been the Ramallah area (1,352 attacks), the Nablus area (1,226), and the Hebron area (935), with Jenin and Tulkarm down to 115 and 111, respectively. OCHA added that 64 West Bank Palestinians "have been killed and 5,173 injured in that context alone by Israeli forces or settlers." The report also mentions that more than 5,900 Palestinians have been displaced due to settler attacks and access restrictions, and that about 77,000 trees and saplings planted by Palestinians and over 2,400 Palestinian vehicles have been damaged.

A disparity exists between IDF and UN figures on Palestinian casualties. The Jerusalem Post notes that while the UN report makes no apparent distinction between Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists and innocent Palestinian civilians, the IDF has stated that 96% of those killed were terrorists. However, the IDF acknowledged that the number of Palestinians killed who were an imminent threat, such as in a gunfight, dropped in 2025 to 42% from 72% in 2024. In January of this year, the IDF told the Jerusalem Post and other Israeli media outlets that the number of Palestinians the IDF killed in 2025 was 240, down from 500 in 2024 and 504 in 2023.

The Jerusalem Post's reporting on the decline in attacks focuses on the security establishment's efforts, while its coverage of the UN report is more critical, highlighting the lack of distinction between terrorists and civilians and the disparity with IDF figures.

Key Claims

• Serious attacks by Israeli extremists against Palestinians in the West Bank have fallen by approximately 25% since March, when they peaked. This figure refers to attacks that injured Palestinians or endangered lives.
• When considering all acts of violence, including those that did not endanger lives, the data shows an 11% decrease.
• The decline follows intensified enforcement by the IDF, Shin Bet, and Israel Police.
• Central Command chief Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth has signed 23 administrative restriction orders against Israelis involved in the violence, including bans from entering the West Bank and, in some cases, house arrest for up to six months.
• Six Israelis were detained for setting fire to a Palestinian home, and four Israelis were arrested for attacking a CNN news crew last week in the village of Sinjil in the Binyamin region.
• Since 2023, there have been over 5,330 settler attacks resulting in casualties, property damage, or both, according to OCHA.
• OCHA reports that 64 West Bank Palestinians have been killed and 5,173 injured by Israeli forces or settlers.
• More than 5,900 Palestinians have been displaced due to settler attacks and access restrictions, and about 77,000 trees and saplings and over 2,400 vehicles have been damaged.
• The IDF reported killing 240 Palestinians in 2025, down from 500 in 2024 and 504 in 2023, with 96% of those killed said to be terrorists. However, the number of those killed who were an imminent threat dropped to 42% in 2025 from 72% in 2024.