Should the international community sanction Israel over settler violence in West Bank?

[FloralDeerPattern]

The problem of Israeli terrorism is getting worse and worse. Just over the past few weeks amongst other things Israeli terrorists have killed multiple people, commited sexual assault, beaten and threatened to rape young Palestinian girls, continually attacked the residents and property of the only remaining fully Christian town in the West Bank, stolen 100s of sheep from the Bedouin community, beaten activists who are there to provide a protective presence to Palestinians, set fire to property.

Palestinians don't have the right to defend themselves from this violent, rapidly escalating Israeli terrorism. They can't arrest and detain the Israeli terrorists. They are sitting ducks with no means of protecting themselves from beatings and sexual violence. Is it time that the international community steps in and sanctions Israel until they can control their obvious terrorism problem? What else can be done to try and protect innocent people from this escalating Israeli violence?

Yes.

Absolutely.

we have to do something.

100%, but they're too lily livered to do anything but issue weak condemnations if they say anything at all.

It's Orwell's Animal Farm in real life,
Everyone is equal under International Law, but some people are more equal than others aka hypocrisy.

Absolutely! Should have happened years ago. But Israel have some sort of free pass to do whatever they like 🤷‍♀️

Absolutely yes. It is sickening but so under-reported and totally not considered a problem outside of Palestinian allies.
FFS many people think it is acceptable.
So much is misunderstood about Palestine, especially on the West Bank. Imagine living with this

I wonder if it isn't considered a problem because the victims of Israeli terror are so nicely contained for want of a better term? It's all nice an neat, Israeli terrorists only attack Palestinians, they aren't a risk to us in the West, if you look away it's easy not to see the violence. They aren't going to be beating us and threatening to rape out daughters, just the daughters of Palestinians.

This is state sanctioned terror though, at what point does support for that state mean support of terrorism? I think its a question that governments need to start asking.

I can’t see any other option. It’s difficult to understand how a violently illegal occupation with a clear intent to displace and annex has been supported for so long.

From UN on Tuesday:

“The displacement in the occupied West Bank, which coincides with the extensive displacement of Palestinians in Gaza, at the hands of the Israeli military, appears to indicate a concerted Israeli policy of mass forcible transfer throughout the occupied territory, aimed at permanent displacement, raising concerns of ethnic cleansing,”

Full statement

www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/03/israels-settlement-expansion-drives-mass-displacement-west-bank-un-report

The cynic in me thinks that the other option is to ignore it and it will eventually sort itself out when Israel with the help of their terrorists finish their ethnic cleansing.

Shut down protests and talk of Palestine as much as possible, conflate support for Palestinians with antisemitism and extremism, Israel are much more useful to the West than Palestinians, let them have what they want, we won't suffer for it they just terrorise Palestinians not us they are our ally, let's keep them sweet.

The only people who will benefit if we sanction Israel for their terrorism are Palestinians and are they really useful to our governments anyway?

Yes.

Tried before numerous times but the US always vetoes.

The violence and displacement in the West Bank shames Israel. The recent shooting of the Bani Owda family was heinous.
I see the ongoing crimes as a part of the Israeli / Palestinian conflict as a whole- stems from Palestinians not having their own state with their own completely independent from Israel self determination. The only way they are getting their own state is when both Netanyahu is replaced by an Israeli commited to a Palestinian state and when Palestinians have leadership commited to a Palestinian state not won through violence.
So this is what I hope for. Regime change on both sides if you will.
Sanctions, meh. I don't think they work. And we don't generally sanction our allies for their 'internal' problems so its never happening anyway.

I suppose the question is what happens in the mean time? The power balance is obviously very off. The attack by Israelis on Palestinians a few days ago was very extreme, sexual violence, young girls being beaten and threatened with rape. Palestinians cannot defend themselves or they will be detained or killed. They can't drop 2000lb bombs on Israeli terrorists in the name of self defence. They are being assaulted, terrorised and killed by Israelis and they are just supposed to sit and hope that next time Israelis will vote better?

Who else would be expected to do that? Can nothing really be done in the meantime to protect them from Israeli violence? Israeli rights group, Yesh Din, said 109 separate incidents of violence by Israeli citizens, which included shootings, physical assaults and property damage had been reported in 62 Palestinian communities during the first 10 days of the war with Iran. Israel are duty bound to protect the people that they occupy but instead they are allowing their citizens to terrorise them but because they are allies nothing should be done to try and protect people from terrorism?

Yes but nothing will be done as they can get away with murder with no recourse. They’re basically untouchable by the western world.

@FloralDeerPattern quite agree Palestinians are just expected to suck it up because if they try and defend themselves, their families, their homes, their land, their lives, they will face brutal repercussions from Israeli law enforcement. They are sitting ducks in the west bank.

Absolutely!

It’s all part of the Israeli government hatred of Palestinians, to remind them that Israel will control them and they will never have autonomy over their own lives. Israel is an apartheid state, so many similarities to the old South Africa. Today Muslims in Jerusalem are not allowed into the al Aqsa mosque to celebrate Eid, why? Because the Israeli authorities say no!
But the world turns a blind eye.

This is just is, I wonder does everyone realise that they can't call the police, they can't call on an army - the Israeli one will help your attacker, most of the time if they call an ambulance even that will be purposefully held back from reaching them. You can be sexually assaulted, your young girls can be beaten and threatened with rape and there is nothing you can do. There is no one to protect you, there is no justice, if you try and protect yourself you will be labelled a terrorist and detained or killed.

I don't see how in good conscience we can expect this of people. I wouldn't support bombing or war to rid Israel of their terrorists but peaceful means should absolutely be explored.

Agree with this, sadly.

Sanctions and diplomatic pressure had an effect in South Africa, dh grew up there in the apartheid era. He remembers how they were banned from many international events, sports etc.. Although there was a lot of censorship, and of course no internet then, but even so they knew most of the world disapproved of what was happening there. Israel’s Government are very arrogant but they could be made to feel the pressure.

Yes. Shame on Israel and their citizens for allowing it to go on.

Yes they should. But they won't.

‘Sanctions, meh. I don't think they work. And we don't generally sanction our allies for their 'internal' problems so its never happening anyway’ @dairydebris

tIllegal occupation is not an ‘internal problem’.

What is your interpretation of an ally?
Someone in alignment with our objectives and morals?

Israel is out of control. We're all going to suffer because of its current attack on Iran.

Yes sadly, we're all going to suffer but Netanyahu has made a fatal mistake.

This affects so many people who were unaware of what was happening, however since its now hitting them personally, it's opened millions of eyes and the blame will be squarely laid on him and anyone who supported/facilitated this disaster.