Israel must protect West Bank’s Palestinians amid settler pogroms: US envoy

What the report says

US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visited parts of the occupied West Bank on Saturday, meeting local officials and Palestinian-American residents in Turmus Aya who have been affected by repeated attacks linked to Israeli settlers, according to Al Jazeera. During the trip, he said the Israeli government has a responsibility to help ensure the safety of Palestinians living in the area and described violence carried out by some settlers as criminal activity that should bring serious consequences.

Al Jazeera reported that the visit included a meeting with Ruwan Alqam, a Palestinian-American who recently moved from Texas with her family and said they have faced roadblocks and a recent rock attack on their car after a trip to Nablus. Alqam said the ambassador was receptive to residents’ concerns and that they want the United States to press for change because they view the violence as ongoing and systematic.

A former Israeli ambassador, Alon Pinkas, told Al Jazeera the visit was mostly symbolic and unlikely to shift US policy. He said Huckabee’s criticism was notable, but doubted it would lead to stronger pressure on the Israeli government.

The report places the trip against a backdrop of rising settler violence in the West Bank since late 2022, alongside continued settlement expansion, which remains illegal under international law. Al Jazeera said Israel has advanced plans for hundreds of new settler units, adding to tensions over Palestinian movement, land access and the future of the territory.