When Soldiers Become Settlers: A System of Impunity in the West Bank

When Soldiers Become Settlers: A System of Impunity in the West Bank

I've spent months investigating the brutal escalation of violence in the West Bank, where armed Israeli settlers — now operating under military command structures — have turned entire Palestinian communities into battlegrounds. What I found is a pattern of systematic abuse that defies accountability and leaves victims with no recourse.

In Kobar, northwest of Ramallah, a man known locally as 'Ghazal' has terrorised farmers for years. Bassema Khader, 63, recognized him even through a mask — he was dressed in an army uniform, claiming to be part of the Israeli security apparatus. But this wasn't a soldier on duty. It was a settler using military authority to intimidate, steal, and terrorize.

“A settler known as 'Ghazal' has been coming to the area for a long time, wearing an army uniform to intimidate people,” Khader told Al Jazeera. “But the residents weren't afraid and continued to hold on to their land.”

This is not an isolated incident. In Deir Jarir, a 23-year-old Palestinian named Ali Majed Hamadneh was shot dead while fleeing settlers' gunfire. The Israeli military claimed he had thrown stones at a soldier — but B'Tselem's investigation tells a different story. A reserve soldier from the Regional Defence Battalion, operating with full military authority, opened fire on civilians in broad daylight.

Land and Identity: The Heart of the Conflict

For Palestinians, land is not just property — it is identity. Mohammad Majdi Abu Makho, a farmer from Deir Jarir, was pepper-sprayed by a settler while praying near his village. When he reported the attack to Israeli authorities, they confirmed that the attacker was an army reservist, yet no charges followed.

“For me, the land is life. It truly is everything,” Abu Makho told Al Jazeera. “What does a farmer – or anyone – have other than their land? It gives us a sense of belonging. It is our identity.”

This struggle over land is not about agriculture alone — it's about survival, heritage, and the right to exist as a people. And yet, with each violent act, settlers are granted legal cover through their military affiliations, leaving Palestinian communities powerless.

Fatal Encounters: The Cost of Impunity

The line between soldier and settler has blurred beyond recognition. In one case, the Israeli military confirmed that a settler had been a reserve member when he opened fire, but the victim's family couldn't tell if the man was acting under orders or simply using his status to justify violence.

According to Human Rights Watch, these parallel roles are not accidental. The Israeli government has deliberately expanded the role of settlers in security operations since the war on Gaza began in October 2023. Reservists from West Bank settlements were called up en masse, assigned to regional battalions — and given unprecedented authority.

“Everything else was about dealing with Jews looking for provocations,” one commander told Haaretz.

The result is a militarized settler class that operates outside traditional command structures, often with full impunity. When settlers attack Palestinians, they do so under the shield of military law — which is not enforced equally.

Parallel Command: A Dangerous Integration

What I uncovered was alarming: the Israeli military is no longer just a security force in the West Bank. It has become a tool for expansion, embedding settlers within its ranks and giving them weapons, training, and legal immunity.

In the village of Qaryut, the organization Hashomer Yosh — which provides support to violent outposts — operates with government approval. Their president, Avichai Suissa, is directly linked to attacks on Palestinian civilians. Yet he remains untouched by international justice mechanisms.

One activist, Bashar Qaryouti, described how this integration gives settlers two roles at once: as settlers trying to expand the settlements and as reservists wielding military authority.

“This gives a settler more than one role in the same place,” Qaryouti said. “He has a direct interest in expanding the settlement, while his military service gives him weapons, experience and connections within the Israeli military system.”

Systemic Impunity: A Culture of Silence

But the real horror lies not in the violence itself — it's in the lack of consequences. Yesh Din, an Israeli human rights group, reported that 77.3% of complaints filed against soldiers are dismissed without investigation.

Out of over 2,400 complaints between 2016 and 2024, only about 200 resulted in criminal investigations — and just 23 led to indictments. The average case took two to five years to process, often with no outcome at all.

“By refraining from treating complaints submitted to it promptly, effectively and with due gravitas, the Military Advocate General's Corps sends a clear message to soldiers that the army condones violence, looting property, beating, wounding or even killing Palestinians in the West Bank,” Yesh Din concluded.

This is not just an oversight. It's a deliberate policy of non-accountability. And it means that for Palestinian victims, there is no justice — only endless cycles of abuse and silence.

Conclusion: The Future of the West Bank

As I've witnessed in the field, the current system in the West Bank isn't about peace or security — it's about control. Settlers are no longer just civilians; they are agents of state policy. They act with impunity because Israeli law allows them to do so, and international oversight remains absent.

What we are seeing is not an isolated incident but a systemic erosion of human rights, a legal framework that permits violence under the guise of security, and a future where Palestinians may no longer be able to live in their own land.

We must demand accountability — from Israeli officials, international bodies, and the global community. The lives of thousands depend on it.