The following report highlights a drastic change in Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians, not only because of the increasing number of aggressions but also because of the evolution of the violence itself.

In September and October 2009, only a few aggressions against Palestinian farmers - related to harvest, land and farming equipment - were reported. Yet approximately 22 incidents of this kind were reported this year for the same period. Even if this time of year is particularly violent in the West Bank due to the olive harvesting season, other notable changes can be observed this year.

One explanation for the violent evolution that took place over the past two months is the end of Israel's ten month partial settlement freeze on 26 September 2010. On 26 September, settlers and their supporters publicly celebrated the beginning of a new wave of illegal construction in the West Bank, a celebration they had been preparing since the beginning of September. The month of October was thus particularly characterized by a new wave of violence, land grabbing and destruction due to the construction of new outposts and the expansion of existing settlements. This decision - along with the inability of international leaders to force Israel to apply a new settlement freeze so that negotiations could continue - was largely perceived by the settlers and their leaders as recognition of their presence in the West Bank and as encouragement to go ahead with their colonization. According to a report written by the Israeli organization Peace Now, 1,126 construction sites have been opened in the West Bank since the end of the settlement freeze.

This report highlights three worrying phenomena related to the strengthening of the settlers and to the tacit recognition of the illegal settlements in the West Bank, as well as to the settlers' violence against Palestinians.

First, these last two months have been characterized by an expansion of the geographical area in which violent settler attacks took place. For example the Jericho District, generally spared from settler attacks, was targeted twice in two months.

Second, there is increasing cooperation between settlers and the Israeli army. The end of the settlement freeze has indeed led to army intervention and participation in building, including helping to bulldoze targeted Palestinian lands.

Last, but unfortunately not least, settlers have demonstrated increasing organization in their actions. In the same area, on the same day, different sites have been attacked in the same manner, as can be seen throughout this report. More demonstrations of violence have also been witnessed through these last two months, from important groups of settlers gathering with a common agreement for a shared and coordinated attack.

As you will see throughout this report, the settlers' recent attacks took place almost on a daily basis, especially in the northern West Bank. As they grow more organized, spread across the West Bank and are supported by the army, the Israeli settler violence against the Palestinians reach a worrying threshold.

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