West Bank: Palestinian Family Says Israeli Settlers Seized Unfinished Home
Family in Jalud alleges settlers occupied a house under construction as concerns grow over settlement expansion in the occupied territory.
Unfinished Palestinian home in Jalud after settlers allegedly occupied the property.
West Bank tensions escalated after a Palestinian family said Israeli settlers seized their unfinished home in the village of Jalud, according to eyewitness accounts and verified video footage.
Palestinian resident Mohammad Salameh said he was building the two-storey house for his family, where his recently engaged son planned to begin married life. Before construction finished, a group of Israeli settlers allegedly took control of the property.
Video verified by Reuters showed at least six settlers on the roof of the unfinished house, which stands below a nearby hill. Reuters reported that it could not reach the settlers for comment.
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Salameh said he sought assistance from the Israeli military and police but did not receive help. He expressed concern that other homes in the area could face similar incidents if authorities fail to intervene.
The West Bank is home to about 500,000 Israeli settlers living alongside roughly three million Palestinians. Palestinian residents have long reported damage to farmland, vandalism and attacks linked to settlement expansion.
According to a recent United Nations inquiry, attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian villages and agricultural land have increased significantly since 2023. The report said such incidents rose by approximately 130 percent during that period.
Raed al-Haj Mohammad, head of the Jalud Village Council, described the incident as a serious escalation. He said settlers had previously carried out attacks in the village, including setting homes on fire, damaging vehicles and uprooting trees. He added that this was the first time settlers had taken over a house that was still under construction.
Most countries and the United Nations consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, citing the Fourth Geneva Convention. Israel disputes that interpretation and maintains that the West Bank is disputed territory with longstanding historical and religious significance for the Jewish people.
Settlement expansion remains one of the central issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Several countries, including the United States, have criticised violence by extremist settlers, while the Israeli government has continued to expand settlements under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
For Salameh, the dispute carries a personal cost. He said financial difficulties delayed construction after the Gaza war began in 2023. He now fears his family may permanently lose the home they had planned for the next generation.
