False Peace: The West Bank Under Siege

Israeli forces block Palestinians from reaching their olive groves during the harvest season in a village near Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank [File: Mohammed Torokman/Reuters]

In the occupied West Bank, participating in discussions of a ceasefire in Gaza feels absurd. The world is focused on Gaza, but raids, home demolitions, and violence from settlers are on the rise in Palestinian towns and homes. Human rights organizations, such as the Norwegian Refugee Council, report a staggering increase in military incursions, leaving families making home in places such as Hebron and Jenin live in constant fear.

For almost three million Palestinians living under Israeli military rule, references to a "ceasefire" carry little weight. The nightly raids, land confiscation, and violent attacks by armed settlers continue largely unchecked. The world may issue trite concerns or express outrage on behalf of Gaza, but in practice, they ignore the relentless repression taking place just miles away.

Inside Israel, the political reality exacerbates the situation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under pressure from his far-right coalition partners, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, who have both openly stated that they want to annex the West Bank. The Knesset just passed a bill which would support annexation and highlighted divisions among governing bodies, but also exhibited a brazen dismissal of international diplomacy.

Between the military's control and the meaningless promises of peace, the people in the West Bank will continue to be trapped in a system meant to erase their existence, one home demolition or settlement at time.