Thursday, November 13, 2025 -In a stark escalation of tensions in the occupied West Bank, dozens of masked Israeli settlers launched a pre-planned arson attack on a Palestinian warehouse and adjoining farmland on Tuesday. Eyewitnesses say the assault targeted the warehouse of the Al-Juneidi Dairy Factory in the town of Beit Lid and surrounding land.
The attackers allegedly used gasoline and crowbars to force access, setting fire to trucks and storage buildings — a coordinated strike described by one site worker as “they had a fully organised tactic for how to carry out the burning.”
The incident comes amid a record surge in settler violence across the West Bank, especially in recent weeks during the olive-harvest season when many Palestinians access their farmlands.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports more than 260 settler-related attacks in October alone — the highest monthly tally since tracking began in 2006. Palestinian officials argue these acts of arson and intimidation form part of a broader push to drive Palestinians from their land, a claim mirrored by numerous rights groups.
The response from Israeli authorities has been unusually forceful in condemnation. Isaac Herzog, Israel’s president, called the violence “shocking and serious,” stressing it crosses a clear “red line” and urged security forces to act decisively.
Still, critics say only four settlers were arrested in the latest attack — and they were later freed — raising questions about accountability and effective policing. As the arson leaves trucks, farmland, and a warehouse charred, local Palestinians are left grappling with renewed fears for safety and security.
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