Who is behind settler violence in the occupied West Bank?

Jerusalem – As illegal Israeli settlement activity expands across the occupied West Bank, violent settler groups have emerged at the forefront of escalating attacks on Palestinians and their property with the aim of creating new realities on the ground.These groups are driven by hard-line religious and nationalist ideology that advocates the expansion of settlements, the expulsion of Palestinians, and the assertion of dominance over what they call “Judea and Samaria”, referring to the West Bank.Despite differences in their structure and methods of operation, they share the goal of entrenching settler presence, forcing Palestinians from their land, and thwarting any political process that could curb the growth of settlements, which are considered illegal under international law.A number of their leaders are linked to networks of rabbis and right-wing activists who serve as their ideological and religious authorities. Some settlements and outposts have also become bases from which attacks against Palestinians are launched.These groups do not operate independently of settlement expansion. Rather, they benefit from a political, legal and on-the-ground environment that strengthens their...