Rising Israeli settler violence and restrictions by both Israeli Occupation Forces and the Palestinian Authority have led Palestinians to revive local guard committees as a form of community self-defense in the West Bank.

Within days of the U.S.-Israeli War on Iran breaking out in late February 2026, streets across West Bank cities filled with lines at gas stations as prices for vegetables and bread surged, and the strain has persisted despite a two-week ceasefire.

Extremist settlers and some soldiers, driven by religious ideology, carry out ongoing violence against Palestinians in the West Bank amid limited international response.

With Gaza still lying in the ruins of a devastating war and Israeli Occupation raids and settlement attacks intensifying across the West Bank, Palestinian municipal ballot boxes are set to open on April 25, 2026.

Itamar Ben-Gvir has massively expanded gun rights for Jewish settlers in Jerusalem and the West Bank, fueling settler violence and endangering Palestinians.