Olmert: Israeli Settlers Commit Daily ‘War Crimes’ in West Bank
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stated that Israeli settlers are committing “war crimes” against Palestinians in the West Bank on a daily basis.
Speaking to a local Israeli radio station, Olmert said he would not remain silent about the issue, asserting that such actions do not reflect the Israel he believes in.
Olmert strongly criticized extremist Zionist groups for attacking Palestinians and their farms, stating that “terrible campaigns of murder and harassment” are carried out daily in the West Bank by “youths of terror,” a large group allegedly supported by the cabinet.
Last July, Olmert held the Israeli army and police responsible for the crimes of this extremist group, alleging that the police turn a blind eye to their actions.
Palestinian and international human rights reports indicate that the group known as “Hilltop Youth” is responsible for killings, property and tree destruction, and confiscation of Palestinian lands in the occupied West Bank. This group comprises young settlers with far-right tendencies and was founded in 1998. They advocate for the establishment of a “Jewish state” after the expulsion of all Palestinians from their land.
Official Palestinian data reveals that at least 1,093 Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have been shot dead by the army and Zionist settlers in the past two years, with approximately 11,000 injured. Over 21,000 have been arrested during this period.
