West Bank chaos, settler violence surge, and PA-Linked incidents keep making headlines—PA is the Fatah-led body with partial civil control in parts of the West Bank.
Since early March 2026, Israeli settlers have intensified violent attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank, killing at least six and displacing dozens. The Israeli military has condemned some incidents and opened investigations, but rights groups report near-impunity for settlers. Movement restrictions amid the Israel-Iran war hamper emergency responses, worsening the humanitarian situation.
On February 27, 2026, the US Embassy in Jerusalem began providing passport services in Efrat, an Israeli settlement in the West Bank, marking the first time consular services were offered in an Israeli settlement. The move has sparked controversy, with Israeli officials welcoming it as legitimizing settlements, while Palestinians and international actors condemn it as violating international law.
Since early 2026, Israeli settler violence in the West Bank has escalated sharply, with at least five Palestinians killed in recent days, including two brothers shot in Qaryut and another man in Masafer Yatta. The Israeli military is investigating incidents involving reservist soldiers. Settler attacks have surged amid ongoing regional tensions following strikes on Iran.
Since late February, following US and Israeli strikes against Iran, the West Bank has seen increased Israeli military restrictions, settler violence, and arrests. At least 11 Palestinians have been killed, with movement restrictions and settler attacks intensifying, especially in rural areas and East Jerusalem.
The UN human rights office has reported a 24% rise in Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank between November 2024 and October 2025, recording 1,732 incidents. The report has found that more than 36,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced while Israeli authorities are advancing tens of thousands of settlement housing units, prompting warnings the pattern could amount to mass forcible transfer.
Since early April 2026, Jerusalem's Old City holy sites, including Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, have reopened after a six-week closure due to the US-Israeli war on Iran. Far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has repeatedly entered Al-Aqsa, performing Jewish prayers forbidden under the Status Quo, sparking Palestinian and Jordanian condemnation. Restrictions on Muslim worshippers and settler incursions continue, raising fears of escalating tensions and changes to the site's religious status.
Israel's parliament approved a law making the death penalty the default for Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks in the West Bank. The law, supported by far-right leaders, faces international criticism for discrimination and potential violations of international law. Implementation is set for 30 days, with legal challenges expected.
Palestinian protests have erupted across the West Bank and Gaza following Israel's passage of a law allowing the death penalty for Palestinians accused of terrorism. The law has drawn international condemnation, increased violence, and protests in Palestinian cities and abroad. Israeli military actions and settler violence continue to escalate.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has reinstated a decade-old judgment allowing victims of attacks linked to the Palestinian Authority and PLO to pursue lawsuits in U.S. courts. The decision follows a Supreme Court ruling last June supporting a 2019 law enabling these cases to proceed. The victims have waited over 22 years for justice.
Palestinians report Israeli restrictions and provocations at Jerusalem's holy sites, including attempts by Jewish extremists to perform animal sacrifices at Al-Aqsa. Israeli authorities reopened the sites after weeks of closures due to regional conflict, but tensions persist with reports of incursions and restrictions affecting Muslim, Christian, and Jewish worshippers.
French authorities have extradited suspects linked to the 1982 attack in Paris and the 1985 Frankfurt airport bombing. The suspects, detained in Palestinian territories, are believed to be connected to Palestinian groups. The extraditions follow France's recognition of Palestinian statehood and cooperation from Palestinian authorities. The cases highlight ongoing efforts to pursue justice for historic terror attacks.
In the West Bank, Palestinians and Israeli forces have clashed during raids and patrols, with several fatalities reported in Silwad and Hebron. Separate incidents involve settlers attacking Palestinian communities and clashes near Deir Jarir, Nablus, and Masafer Yatta. The pattern of violence has intensified amid ongoing regional pressures and wartime dynamics.
Reports have documented a continuing surge of violent attacks by Israeli settlers across the occupied West Bank this spring: arson, beatings, shootings and property destruction. Israeli forces are regularly present during incidents, with limited arrests reported; Palestinian authorities say bodies have been withheld after some killings, preventing burial and mourning.
Israel has continued to expand settlements in the West Bank, approving over 100 new or re-established sites in 2026. This includes plans to restore evacuated settlements like Sa-Nur and Ganim, with settlers crossing into Syria's Golan Heights. The moves are increasing tensions and restricting Palestinian movement.
On April 25–26, 2026, municipal elections have been held across 183 West Bank councils and in Gaza's Deir al-Balah. Turnout has reached about 56% in the West Bank but only 23% in Deir al-Balah. The vote has been described as a symbolic pilot to politically link Gaza and the West Bank while displacement, outdated registries and political disillusionment have limited participation.
Lebanese security agencies have detained former Palestinian ambassador Ashraf Dabbour upon arrival in Beirut, citing an Interpol Red Notice tied to corruption allegations. He faces questions and potential extradition issues as Lebanon navigates Palestinian governance links and its own judiciary.
Fatah's eighth general conference in Ramallah is underway with 2,580 delegates electing the movement’s Central Committee and Revolutionary Council. Abbas has pledged reforms and elections, while questions about succession, internal divisions and funding pressures loom as Hamas calls for Palestinian unity.
Israeli settlers have been attacking Palestinians across the West Bank, displacing communities, injuring and killing civilians and vandalising property; Israeli authorities have charged at least one suspected attacker, while the ICC has been preparing arrest-warrant applications against Israeli ministers for alleged crimes including forced displacement and apartheid. (As of 24 May 2026.)
New York City Mayor Mamdani has posted a Nakba Day video featuring a Palestinian survivor. The one‑sided framing has drawn swift pushback from Jewish groups and lawmakers who say the portrayal omits counterpoint history and risks inflaming antisemitism. The video was released as Nakba Day rallies unfold in New York and amid broader debate over how history is presented in public messaging.
The United States is exploring a formal request to Israel to transfer part of the Palestinian Authority’s withheld tax revenue to Trump’s Board of Peace, funding a Gaza reconstruction plan and related PA reforms. The figure cited is around $5 billion withheld by Israel, with a broader plan estimated at $70 billion.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has said he was informed of an ICC arrest-warrant request and has ordered the immediate evacuation of the Palestinian Bedouin community Khan al-Ahmar. The ICC has not confirmed any new warrants; Israeli security bodies and courts will determine if and when the order takes effect.
Fatah has held its eighth General Conference and has re-elected Mahmoud Abbas as movement chair while voters have elected a new Central Committee. Marwan Barghouti has topped the vote, Majed Faraj and Jibril Rajoub have won seats, and Yasser Abbas has secured a place on the Central Committee.