PA's Abbas calls for end to 'systemic' settler violence, requests support from UN, Arab leaders

ByRUBY SADIKMANJULY 27, 2026 10:12President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, called for urgent international action to stop Israeli settler violence in the West Bank and "ongoing Israeli military aggression" in a statement shared Sunday.In his statement on X/Twitter, Abbas said settler violence has gone beyond a few isolated incidents, labeling it a systemic Israeli policy issue. He went on to say the recurring issues have become an effort to undermine the Palestinian National Authority and jeopardize the prospect of a two-state solution.Abbas named property destruction, the defacement of religious and agricultural sites, and "hundreds of civilian casualties" in the fallout from recent escalations in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.His statement also confirmed he wrote letters requesting support from Arab world leaders, the European Union, the President of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States.In the letters, Abbas outlined the "legal and moral responsibilities" of international communities to mitigate Palestinian displacement and hold the Israeli government liable. He also cited UN Resolution 2334, which underlines the illegality of Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory, claiming it has been consistently left unenforced.The damage following an attack by Israeli settlers in the village of Tell, near the West Bank city of Nablus, July 25, 2026. (credit: NASSER ISHTAYEH/FLASH90)Israelis, Palestinians clash in West Bank in recent weeksThis statement comes after a new wave of Israeli settler violence in the West Bank.On Saturday night, a mosque in the West Bank village of Kusra was set on fire in response to Friday's deadly attack targeting Benayahu Mellet, an Israeli agriculture coordinator at Gilad Farm, and Maj. Yuval Ezra.An additional five vehicles were set on fire in the village of Beitillu as tractors and trucks were torched near Khirbat Abu Falah. Two Palestinians were reportedly beaten during the incidents and were subsequently taken to a hospital for medical treatment.The past week has also seen a string of violence against Israelis in the region, including a fire and two stabbings on Thursday. Two Israeli men, including an IDF soldier, were injured in a separate clash on Saturday when a Palestinian man threw rocks and stole a weapon from his targets.Following the hostile interactions, IDF Central Command Chief Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth banned Palestinian workers from entering Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria. Follow us on Google