QATAR PERSPECTIVE

Doha, July 27, 2026. Qatar's Foreign Ministry released a strong condemnation on Saturday of attacks carried out by Israeli settlers against Palestinian villages in occupied West Bank, describing them as 'flagrant violations of international law and international resolutions.' In its statement, Doha characterized this surge in violence as reflecting a deliberate policy by the Israeli government allowing settlers to act with impunity under military and security force protection. Qatar called on Israel to respect its obligations under international humanitarian law, bring an end to settler violence, and hold those responsible to account.

Qatar's diplomatic response follows an escalation in violence triggered by a deadly shooting on Friday near the illegal settlement of Havat Gilad, in which four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers were killed. According to accounts gathered by Al Jazeera, a channel based in Doha, settlers entered the village of Tal near Nablus, where residents confronted them before settlers opened fire. The Israeli military subsequently launched what it termed an 'extensive' operation, arresting approximately 50 people and raiding dozens of homes.

In the immediate aftermath, settlers set fire to two mosques. At Qusra, southeast of Nablus, the newly constructed Al-Rahma mosque became a target, with graffiti calling for 'Jewish revenge' appearing before it was engulfed in flames, according to a village council official cited by Al Jazeera. At Kour, near Tulkarem, worshippers managed to extinguish a fire started at dawn before it reached the main prayer hall.

The Palestinian Health Ministry reports at least 87 Palestinians killed by Israelis in the West Bank since the start of the year, including 21 killed by settlers. Gulf Times reports that funerals for the four men killed Friday in Tal took place Saturday under military restriction, with only around 30 close relatives permitted to attend.

For Doha, this sequence confirms a broader pattern of impunity accompanying settlement expansion, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to accelerate, speaking of 'legalizing' new outposts. Qatar, an established player in regional mediation efforts, calls on the international community to act without delay against an escalation it views as directly encouraged by Israeli authorities.