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The governments of Italy and Canada have expressed alarm about the treatment of their nationals who were assaulted and robbed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

Details of the Brutal Assault

Three Italians and a Canadian were assaulted in the pre-dawn hours of Sunday in the village of Ein al-Duyuk, near Jericho. They had volunteered to help protect the Palestinian population from intensifying settler violence.

“At 4.30am on 30 November, 10 masked settlers, two carrying army-issued rifles, burst into the home where we were resting after a night shift,” stated the Canadian volunteer.

All four were hospitalised and one, an Italian man, was still receiving care in the city of Ramallah on Monday for more substantial injuries.

Escalating Violence in Ein al-Duyuk

The pace and intensity of attacks in this area have risen dramatically over the past two months. This coincides with the establishment of a settler outpost nearby and the influx of new, confrontational settlers.

Activists say that aggressive acts have become an almost daily occurrence. These incidents have involved settler mobs breaking into homes, beating villagers, and taking sheep, vehicles, and destroying solar panels.

International Law and Government Reactions

While all settlements on occupied territory are illegal under international law, unauthorized outposts are also against Israeli domestic statutes. Ein al-Duyuk is in Area A of the West Bank, a zone theoretically under the control of the Palestinian governing body.

The Canadian foreign ministry stated it “utterly rejects the violent acts committed by radical settlers and is against any measures or talk about absorbing Palestinian land.”

The Italian foreign minister, Minister Tajani, told reporters: “We cannot tolerate of this aggression. This is not the way for anyone to assert their rights.”

Lack of Intervention and Broader Context

Villagers and activists report there has been no meaningful police intervention to halt the assaults or dismantle the outpost. Leading members of the current Israeli government are vocal backers of West Bank settlers.

According to UN figures that Israeli settlers and security forces have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians, including 233 children, in the West Bank over the last 24 months.

Perspective from the Ground

The Canadian volunteer added that, notwithstanding the violence, she felt the presence of volunteers in Ein al-Duyuk had been meaningful.

“The villagers stood taller while we were present,” she said. “Kids were able to play outside. Families could sleep soundly. Just that made our presence justified.”

A local organizer involved with groups that recruit foreign volunteers said the recent encampment has brought in ideologically driven settlers who seem to belong to an organised group.