West Bank Eid Marred by Escalating Colonial Violence, Not Just 'Surging Violence'
As Palestinians across the West Bank marked Eid al-Fitr, the traditional period of joyous celebration was consumed by a surge in settler violence and land seizures. These actions, frequently portrayed by outlets like Al Jazeera as 'surging violence,' in fact represent a calculated escalation of Israel’s colonial project, actively supported and enabled by the Israeli military and government
infrastructure. Mainstream narratives often depict these events as isolated acts of 'settler violence' or 'clashes,' implying a symmetrical conflict. However, this framing deliberately omits the systemic nature of these attacks. The reality is that Israeli settlers operate under the protection of the Israeli military, with legal and financial backing from the Israeli state to expand settlements
and dispossess indigenous Palestinians. This is not merely 'violence'; it is a campaign of ethnic cleansing. In 2023 alone, settler attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank increased by 50% compared to the previous year, demonstrating a clear pattern of orchestrated aggression. What remains largely unaddressed is the financial architecture enabling this expansion. US tax-exempt charities have
historically funneled hundreds of millions of dollars to organizations supporting illegal Israeli settlements and financing ultranationalist groups in the West Bank. For instance, between 2009 and 2017, over $220 million from American tax-deductible donations was routed to entities directly involved in building and maintaining settlements, in direct violation of international law. This financial