A soldier threatening a Palestinian man who poses no threat with a loaded rifle in the West Bank on Friday. Credit: Haaretz, Jordan Valley Activists.
Israeli settler violence is not isolated — it is state‑backed terror enabled and protected by the Israeli government and military. Its goal is to instill fear in the hearts of Indigenous Palestinians so they can be driven from their land once and for all.
On March 12, 2026, an illegal Jewish Israeli settler kidnapped a Palestinian man from the village of Beit Iksa, northwest of occupied Jerusalem, according to local sources. The sources told WAFA, the Palestinian Information Agency, that the settler abducted Issa Maher Zayed while he was heading to his land near a new colonial outpost established just days earlier on village property. Another day in the apartheid state of Israel — and they wonder why so much of the world condemns these actions.
The armed settler, under the protection of the Israeli army, blindfolded, humiliated, and detained Zayed in the village of Beit Iksa in the Israeli‑occupied West Bank. The Times of Israel also reported on May 15, 2026, that an armed settler was filmed standing over a bound and blindfolded Palestinian man on the outskirts of the village. Palestinian media identified the man as a farmer attempting to reach his land. A separate clip shows IDF soldiers arriving after the bound man was dragged by the settler onto a nearby road.
Palestinian farmers in Beit Iksa have witnessed an escalation in settler attacks, particularly after the establishment of new outposts on residents’ lands and the prevention of access to their property. Local Palestinians say they have been left defenseless as Israeli authorities arm extremist settlers who use their weapons to terrorize civilians rather than for any legitimate self‑defense. The army did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Multiple independent reports describe the same pattern: settlers intercepted the farmer as he tried to access his land, restrained him, and took him into the outpost.
There is no credible evidence in available reports that Issa Maher Zayed was ever released. The only accounts describe him being abducted by settlers on March 12 while traveling to his agricultural land near the new outpost. An eyewitness told the Palestinian Information Center that he was taken into the outpost by settlers. I called the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., to inquire about the safety and welfare of the kidnapped farmer. I received a message stating that no one was available for comment. I then called the emergency contact number — no one answered.
An armed Israeli settler, under the protection of the Israeli army, blindfolded, humiliated, and detained a Palestinian man in the village of Bayt Iksa in the West Bank.
https://x.com/IhabHassane/status/2055300449943629864?s=20
The arrogance and inhumanity of the settlers and soldiers are appalling
I watched that video seven times out of sheer rage. I could not believe what I saw. Who do these settlers think they are? The wildest part is that both the settler and the soldiers knew they were being filmed. They truly believe there will be no consequences for their actions. And what was it all for? Because Palestinians wanted to graze their livestock on their own land.
Watching the video reminded me of the July 2014 kidnapping and murder of Mohammed Abu Khdeir, a 16‑year‑old Palestinian who was forced into a car by six Israeli settlers in occupied East Jerusalem. His family immediately reported the abduction to Israeli police, who located his charred body hours later in the Jerusalem Forest. Preliminary autopsy results suggested he was beaten and burned alive after gasoline was poured into his mouth. (Source: Wikipedia.)
As settler violence escalates — apparently under the cover of the war with Iran — some behind the attacks appear to be pursuing a deliberate campaign aimed at ethnically cleansing the territory. Kerem Navot and Peace Now published a joint report revealing how a small group of violent settlers, with government support, have taken control of 14% of the West Bank by establishing more than 100 shepherding outposts, effectively driving Palestinians out of these areas. The report highlights how the government enables these settlers through large‑scale land allocations and millions of shekels in funding.
Stop treating Palestinians as subhuman
This is what happens when someone like Itamar Ben‑Gvir, known for defending settlers accused of terrorism, is appointed security minister. Palestinian farmers are routinely blocked from their land, assaulted, killed, and displaced, while new outposts are built without authorization — blatant land theft. These attacks, and the lack of action by Israeli security forces, accelerate Israel’s deterioration in the eyes of the world.
Before Israel and its supporters complain about rising antisemitism, perhaps they should consider how treating Palestinians as less than human fuels global outrage.
Mahmoud El‑Yousseph is a Palestinian freelance writer and retired U.S. Air Force veteran. He writes on U.S. foreign policy, Middle East affairs, and justice. Email: elyousseph6@yahoo.com
