West Bank settler attacks risk 'explosion', official says

Israeli settler attacks risk setting off an "explosion" in the occupied West Bank, senior Fatah official Jibril Rajoub said, while urging Palestinians to keep their response peaceful.

Rajoub, secretary general of the central committee of the Palestinian Authority's ruling Fatah faction, spoke in Cairo during meetings with other Palestinian movements, including Hamas.

He accused the Israeli army, settlers and government of creating conditions for a reaction in the West Bank, but said peaceful confrontation was the necessary strategy for Palestinians. "Bloodshed is no longer an acceptable option," he said.

Settler violence has intensified during the Palestinian olive harvest, a season with strong cultural importance for Palestinian communities. More than 500,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements, which are considered illegal under international law, alongside around three million Palestinians.

The Cairo talks came after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas delayed elections that had been due to start next month until September 2027. Rajoub said the talks called for unified political representation, a single authority and only one legitimate armed force.

The West Bank has seen increased violence since October 2023. An AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures says at least 1,125 Palestinians have died there since then, most killed by the Israeli military. The United Nations says settler attacks have killed 23 Palestinians in the same period, while Israeli figures say Palestinian attacks have killed at least 49 Israelis.