Since the start of the war with Iran on February 28, 2026, there has been a significant surge in Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, which several officials and human rights groups have described as "pogroms"

Israel Settlers pogroms during Iran war

Since the start of the war with Iran on February 28, 2026, there has been a significant surge in Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, which several officials and human rights groups have described as "pogroms".

 

Recent Settler Attacks (March 2026)

The following events have been reported as part of a wave of violence while international attention is focused on the conflict with Iran:

Village Rampages: Masked settlers have entered multiple Palestinian villages, reportedly killing at least six Palestinians in March alone.

Arson & Property Damage: Settlers have set fire to homes, car washes, and dozens of vehicles in locations such as Burqah, Beitin, and north-west of Nablus.

Attack on Holy Sites: In Deir Istiya, settlers reportedly set fire to the Hajjah Hamida Mosque and spray-painted racist insults on its walls.

Physical Assaults: Reports include the beating of a 75-year-old man inside his home and various attacks on residents in villages near Ramallah and Nablus.

Temple Mount Desecration: Dozens of settlers entered the Haram al-Sharif compound in East Jerusalem to perform rituals, while Israeli police imposed restrictions on Muslim worshippers.

 

Context & Military Role

Enabled by War Restrictions: The surge has been facilitated by military roadblocks and movement curbs imposed during the war, which have delayed medical responses to victims.

State Complicity: Former Israeli officers and current lawmakers, such as Ayman Odeh, have accused the government and the Israel Defense