US Democratic Senators Urge Netanyahu to Halt West Bank Settler Violence and Mass Arrests

WASHINGTON:

Forty-five of the 47 Democratic members of the U.S. Senate have signed a letter urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take immediate steps to curb settler violence and what they described as widespread arrests of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

The joint letter, sent to Netanyahu on Wednesday, expressed deep concern over what the senators called a recent rise in “lethal violence” by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Reuters reviewed the letter.

The senators called on Netanyahu to give clear instructions to Israeli police and military forces to prevent violence and protect civilians, regardless of who is responsible. They also urged Israeli security forces to intervene promptly when violent incidents occur and take measures to prevent further attacks.

Concern over escalating violence

The Democratic senators said violence in the West Bank had increased significantly in recent weeks. They linked the escalation to extensive operations by Israeli security forces that resulted in the arrests of large numbers of Palestinians.

The letter also referred to allegations of attacks by Israeli settlers on mosques in the occupied territory.

The senators urged Netanyahu to strengthen investigations into the deaths of nine U.S. citizens who, according to the letter, have been killed by Israeli settlers or security forces in the West Bank since 2022.

They called for greater efforts to establish accountability in those cases and pressed the Israeli government to ensure the safety of civilians in the territory.

Growing Democratic concerns

The letter comes as concerns among congressional Democrats over the Israeli government's policies in the West Bank have grown.

The party has already seen increasing calls from some lawmakers for restrictions on U.S. military assistance to Israel over the conduct of its war in Gaza.

The letter was jointly drafted by California Senator Adam Schiff, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker. Schumer has long been regarded as one of Israel's prominent supporters in Congress.

Recent deadly shooting

The senators also cited a deadly incident in the West Bank last week.

According to officials cited in the letter, an Israeli man accompanied by a group of Jewish settlers entered Palestinian territory and opened fire on civilians. The incident reportedly killed a 17-year-old boy and a 70-year-old man.

Against the backdrop of that incident, the Democratic senators stressed the need for Israeli security forces to take effective and impartial action to protect civilians and prevent further violence.

The lawmakers' intervention adds to growing scrutiny in Washington of Israel's approach to security and settlement-related violence in the occupied West Bank, particularly as concerns over civilian protection and accountability continue to shape debate among U.S. lawmakers.