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The governments of Italy and Canada have expressed alarm about the treatment of their nationals who were beaten and robbed by Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank.

Particulars Surrounding the Violent Incident

A group comprising three Italians and one Canadian were assaulted in the pre-dawn hours of Sunday in the community of Ein al-Duyuk, near the city of Jericho. They were serving to help shield Palestinian residents from intensifying settler violence.

“At 4.30am on 30 November, 10 masked settlers, some armed with military-style rifles, forced their way into the residence where we were sleeping after night-watch,” stated the Canadian volunteer.

Each of the four required hospital treatment and one, an Italian man, was continuing to undergo treatment in the city of Ramallah on Monday for more substantial injuries.

Escalating Violence in the Village

The frequency and severity of attacks in this area have increased substantially over the last eight weeks. This coincides with the establishment of a settler outpost in the vicinity and the influx of new, confrontational settlers.

Activists say that aggressive acts have become an almost daily occurrence. These incidents have involved settler mobs breaking into homes, assaulting residents, and stealing livestock and property.

Legal Status and Government Reactions

While all settlements on occupied territory are considered unlawful by the international community, irregular outposts are also illegal under Israeli law. The village is located within Area A of the West Bank, a zone meant to be administered of the Palestinian governing body.

The Canadian foreign ministry stated it “strongly condemns the acts of violence committed by extremist settlers and is against any measures or talk about absorbing Palestinian land.”

The Italian foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, told reporters: “We cannot tolerate of this aggression. This is not the way for the settlers to assert their rights.”

Lack of Intervention and Broader Context

Villagers and activists report there has been little effective action by security forces to stop the attacks or remove the illegal settlement. Senior figures of the current Israeli government are vocal backers of settlements in the territory.

According to UN figures that settlers and Israeli forces have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians, including 233 children, in the West Bank over the past two years.

Voice of the Volunteers

The Canadian volunteer noted that, despite the attack, she felt the international presence in Ein al-Duyuk had been valuable.

“The villagers stood taller while we were present,” she said. “Kids were able to play outside. People slept through the night. Just that made our presence justified.”

A local organizer involved with groups that bring in international observers said the new outpost has brought in ideologically driven settlers who seem to belong to an organised group.