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Last Monday, amid a combined speech by American leader Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Israeli parliament, fellow parliamentarian Ayman Odeh and I raised a sign urging the recognition of the Palestinian state. We were forcibly removed from the legislative assembly, exposing the fragile condition of what's frequently portrayed as the "only democracy in the region". How can leaders talk about regional peace while declining to recognize a population denied of basic freedoms and entitlements under decades-long occupation?

The Situation in the Occupied West Bank

In no place is the deceit more evident than in the controlled West Bank. There, talk of reconciliation sound distant and weak, while the terrifying sounds of settler violence and terror persist loudly. Over 30 occurrences of settler aggression against Palestinian civilians have been documented since the unveiling of the Trump administration's peace proposal in September's end, including attacks, theft of crops, and torching of cars and belongings.

Systematic Aggression During Agricultural Period

The increase in violence by colonists is not coincidental. This time marks the beginning of agricultural harvesting. Beyond a crucial economic activity, it constitutes an important social and cultural moment that shows resilience under occupation. Precisely for these reasons, year after year colonists target Palestinians throughout this precious period. During the last year's agricultural period, human rights organizations documented 113 distinct cases of violence, harassment, harvest-thwarting, or damage to olive groves and crops involving settlers and military personnel, which occurred on lands owned by 51 Palestinian-owned villages, municipalities, and communities.

Israel's military appeared to have played a greater part in hindering the olive harvest

Yesh Din also discovered that "Israel's security forces appeared to have had a larger role in obstructing the olive harvest". In about 70% of cases where entry to lands was forcibly blocked, troops, border guards, and settler security officials were actually on site. They either personally stopped Palestinians from reaching and harvesting their own lands, or failed to stop colonists who harassed or assaulted them.

Political Backing for Settler Activities

This is no shock, as the leader of the colonists' political movement, Bezalel Smotrich, was appointed as an extra official in the Defense Ministry in charge of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories. In Umm al-Khair, for example, a special COGAT unit uprooted personally-owned olive plants of local residents, claiming missing documentation, but overlooked violations by an unauthorized nearby settler outpost. Last week, the local court decided to halt all construction in the encampment, which was constructed on property seized by Israel and illegally given to colonists.

Annexation Ambitions and Global Reaction

In the occupied West Bank, settler terrorism is nothing but a tool used by the administration to pursue de-facto incorporation. Earlier this month, Smotrich led a procession of many of settlers in favor of annexation the West Bank. He was quoted as saying, "We are continuing to take hold with our feet of the Land of Israel with numerous settlers, many heroes, and countless of colonists who live in this area of the territory ... we need to normalise it and establish it permanently."

The colonists and their backers in the parliament are explicit about their motives and intentions. Why, then, do government officials in the Western nations refrain from substantial sanctions and diplomatic measures? Smotrich was sanctioned by the United Kingdom in June, but the effect of the sanction has been minimal. He may not be permitted to travel to the United Kingdom and tour the London's entertainment district, but he still maintains the governmental authority to take lands in the West Bank. Even in the announcement of penalties, the UK emphasized they take place "in his personal capacity" only.

International Acknowledgment and Actual Situation

If the UK government recognizes the truth of colonist aggression and its serious implications on Palestinian existence, why does it still allow goods from settlements to be sold in markets and shops in Britain? If Starmer is serious about recognition of Palestine as a state, how come he permit the Israeli administration to violate its sovereignty with such aggressive methods? Or was the recognition an hollow ploy to shut down dissenting voices in the UK, a meaningless act only to be realised in the rebranding of some cartographic representations?

Pathway to Genuine Peace

A fair resolution must honor the basic entitlements of the Palestinian people for self-determination, independence, and freedom from occupation and blockade. Only when each person's worth across the Jordan River and sea is honored can we truly say reconciliation has been achieved.

Genuine peace demands an independent Palestinian state next to Israel: this is the only solution that has consensus among the global community, the Palestinian leadership, and the Israeli peace camp.

Trump may have inflicted influence on the Israeli leader to halt the violence, but he probably only did so because the strain of his relationship with the pariah regime of Netanyahu had become too great. The large demonstrations throughout the globe for the freedom of Palestine, and the persistent anti-government demonstrations within Israel, are the actual forces behind this influence.

It is thanks to this enormous civil movement that a ceasefire has been signed, the captives released, and the residents of Gaza can enjoy protection from destruction. After the truce arrangement has been finalized, it is crucial to continue applying this influence. The world has turned a blind eye to the violence in the strip for too long; it must not make the same mistake in the West Bank.