More than 100 Israeli settlers attacked the West Bank village of Jalud on Monday night, setting fire to two houses and blocking a Palestinian family from returning home under a high court ruling. Israeli security forces faced stone-throwing crowds, deploying tear gas and pepper spray during the clashes.
What was supposed to be a legally mandated homecoming turned into a chaotic midnight siege in the occupied West Bank. Mahmoud al-Tubasi, his wife Aida, and their son Wael had planned to reclaim their properties in Jalud, south of Nablus, after securing a ruling from Israel’s High Court earlier this month. Instead, they walked into a coordinated ambush organized through WhatsApp groups.
WhatsApp Alerts Spark the Raid in Jalud
Extremist settlers mobilized swiftly after alerts popped up in WhatsApp groups warning that the displaced Palestinian family was on its way back. According to reporting from the BBC, a crowd exceeding 150 settlers converged on the village. By the time the family arrived under military escort, their homes had already been seized and ransacked.
As soon as we entered the house, which had already been completely destroyed, settlers started throwing stones at us. The army responded by firing tear gas at them, but there were so many settlers, more than 150, that the army could no longer control them.
Mahmoud al-Tubasi
Inside one of the structures, the destruction was absolute. Video footage showed homes engulfed in flames, while inspection of the interior revealed a toilet smashed and filled with human waste. Mahmoud al-Tubasi described the ordeal as extremely terrifying, beyond words
and admitted he genuinely feared for his life.
High Court Rulings and Overwhelmed Security Forces
The family had been forced to flee their properties earlier this summer following weeks of sustained settler harassment and attacks. Although Israel’s High Court explicitly criticized authorities for failing to crack down on such violence and mandated that the family be safely returned home by September 20, the enforcement faltered.
Human rights groups point to the incident as evidence that Israeli authorities fail to take effective action against settler violence, which the United Nations reports has reached an all-time high this year. During the raid, Israeli soldiers protected the family from approaching attackers by using pepper spray and tear gas, but the sheer volume of rioters overwhelmed security forces. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu subsequently called on law enforcement authorities to prosecute those involved.
Wider Violence and Clashes Across Neighboring Villages
The raid on the al-Tubasi family did not remain isolated to Jalud. The head of the local council reported that residents confronted the attackers, sparking clashes that spilled into a nearby village. In that neighboring area, a Palestinian woman was assaulted and her home set ablaze by settlers.
The United Nations’ Humanitarian Office (OCHA) has logged 6,199 settler attacks causing casualties or damage since 2023. According to OCHA data, more than 6,500 Palestinians have been displaced due to these attacks and access restrictions in the occupied West Bank over the same timeframe. Meanwhile, the failed homecoming mission left the al-Tubasi family’s properties destroyed and their future security uncertain.
