By Zachary Gava
Harare, July, 27, 2026 (New Ziana) – Palestine’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Tamer Almassri, on Monday strongly condemned what he described as an unprecedented escalation of violence by Israeli settlers and occupation forces in the West Bank, calling on the international community to take urgent and concrete measures to protect Palestinian civilians and hold those responsible accountable.
In a statement, he said more than 178 attacks by Israeli settlers were recorded in the last 48 hours, alongside military raids by Israeli occupation forces on Palestinian communities, describing the developments as evidence of a coordinated campaign of violence.
“Israeli state-backed settler terrorism is intensifying into systematic pogroms across the occupied West Bank,” Almassri said.
According to the ambassador, large parts of the occupied West Bank witnessed simultaneous military operations and settler attacks on the night of Saturday and into the early hours of Sunday, 26 July 2026.
He said Israeli occupation forces conducted military incursions, raided homes, carried out arrests, opened live fire and used tear gas, while settlers allegedly attacked Palestinian homes and mosques, torched vehicles, assaulted civilians, blocked ambulances and closed major roads across dozens of Palestinian villages.
Almassri argued that the attacks were “not isolated incidents” but formed part of what he called “an official and systematic Israeli policy based on providing political and military support, as well as protection, to Israeli settler terrorists.”
He further alleged that continued impunity was enabling further violence aimed at displacing Palestinians and advancing plans for annexation, ethnic cleansing and extermination.
He appealed to governments worldwide to move beyond expressions of concern and adopt practical measures to address the situation.
“The State of Palestine calls on governments to take practical and urgent measures, including issuing clear statements of condemnation, supporting independent international investigations, holding officials accountable for these crimes, and imposing sanctions on the Israeli colonial system and its officials,” he said.
Almassri also urged the international community to fulfil its legal and moral obligations by taking decisive action to end the occupation and protect civilians.
“The Palestinian people can no longer tolerate the continuation of a policy of impunity,” he said, adding that the international community should “translate its legal and moral commitments into practical and tangible steps to end the occupation, ensure the protection of Palestinian civilians, and compel Israel, the occupying power, to respect international law and international legitimacy resolutions.”
The West Bank has experienced heightened tensions in recent years amid an increase in Israeli military operations and violence involving Israeli settlers.
The conflict has drawn repeated international concern, with governments and humanitarian organisations calling for the protection of civilians amid renewed efforts towards a negotiated peace.
New Ziana
