US voices alarm to Israel over settler violence in West Bank

The United States on Monday urged Israel to take action over violence by settlers in the West Bank, voicing alarm after the torching of nearly 20 cars near Ramallah.

"The United States is deeply concerned by these and other recent reports of increasing extremist settler violence in the West Bank," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.

In addition to the cars that were set alight on Monday, Miller pointed to West Bank settlers' attacks on homes, killing of Palestinians' livestock and hindering of olive harvesting.

"It is critical that the government of Israel deter extremist settler violence and take measures to protect all communities from harm in accordance with its international obligations," Miller said.

"This includes intervening, preventing and stopping such violence. It is further incumbent upon the relevant authorities to do everything possible to de-escalate tensions and hold all perpetrators of violence against civilians equally accountable, no matter the background of the perpetrator or the victim," he said.

The United States has repeatedly voiced alarm and imposed sanctions over violence by settlers in the West Bank in tandem with Israel's war in Gaza that has targeted Hamas since the Gaza-based militants' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

Washington has also frequently criticized aspects of the conduct of the war in Gaza, although it remains the main military and diplomatic supporter of Israel.

The Israeli parliament last week defied warnings by the United States and other Western countries and banned the UN agency that supports Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

The State Department had earlier said it was waiting to assess the impact of the law, which needed 90 days to go into effect, but Israel said Monday it had formally notified the United Nations it was cutting ties with UNRWA.

"There are other UN agencies that are operating inside Gaza, but we see UNRWA as continuing to play a critical role," Miller said.

"We're endeavoring now to learn exactly what the implication if any of that letter is, separate -- apart -- from the legislation that's already passed and has a 90-day timetable on it."