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Sky News
7 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Inside settler violence in the West Bank
Who are the Israeli settlers forcing Palestinians from their homes? Chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay has been in the West Bank, witnessing the Israeli settlers who are forcing Palestinians from their homes. He also sees how the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) is protecting the growing number of Israelis claiming this land is theirs. Stuart meets one Palestinian man who left for work and when he returned home, he found his home had been taken over by Israeli settlers. He also meets the settlers who say this land belongs to them. To watch Stuart's film in full, click here.
Sky News
12-08-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
What are West Bank settlements, who are settlers, and why are they controversial?
There are increasing reports of violence and intimidation by Israeli settlers in occupied Palestinian territory. Sky News chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay has been inside the West Bank, where he's found settlers feeling emboldened since the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel. With the government largely supporting them, they act with impunity and are in many ways enabled by Israel security forces. But what are the settlements, and why are they controversial? What are settlements? A settlement is an Israeli-built village, town, or city in occupied Palestinian territory - either in the West Bank or East Jerusalem. The largest, Modi'in Illit, is thought to house around 82,000 settlers, according to Peace Now. There is also a growing movement of Israelis wanting to build settlements in Gaza. Settlements are illegal under international law and have been condemned by the UN. They are, however, authorised by the Israeli government. As well as official, government-approved settlements, there are also Israeli outposts. 1:03 These are established without government approval and are considered illegal by Israeli authorities. But reports suggest the government often turns a blind eye to their creation. Israel began building settlements shortly after the 1967 Six-Day War. The Etzion Bloc in Hebron, which was established that year, now houses around 40,000 people. According to the Israel Policy Forum, the settlement programme is intended to protect Israel's security, with settlers acting as the first line of defence "against an invasion". The Israeli public appears divided on the effectiveness of the settlements, however. A 2024 Pew Research Centre poll found that 40% of Israelis believe settlements help Israeli security, 35% say they hurt it, and 21% think they make no difference. Why are they controversial? Israeli settlements are built on land that is internationally recognised as Palestinian territory. 4:03 Sky News has spoken to multiple Palestinians who say they were forced out of their homes by Israeli settlers, despite having lived there for generations. "They gradually invade the community and expand. The goal is to terrorise people, to make them flee," Rachel Abramovitz, a member of the group Looking The Occupation In The Eye, told Sky News in May. Settlers who have spoken to Sky News say they have a holy right to occupy the land. American-born Israeli settler Daniel Winston told Sky's chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay: "God's real, and he wrote the Bible, and the Bible says, 'I made this land, and I want you to be here'." Settlers make up around 5% of Israel's population and 15% of the West Bank's population, according to data from Peace Now. How have things escalated since 7 October 2023? Since the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023 and Israel's subsequent military bombardment of Gaza, more than 100 Israeli outposts have been established, according to Peace Now. In May, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government approved 22 new settlements, including the legalisation of outposts that had previously been built without authorisation. Settler violence against Palestinians has also increased, according to the UN, with an average of 118 incidents each month - up from 108 in 2023, which was already a record year. The UK government has sanctioned two members of Mr Netanyahu's cabinet, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, for "repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian civilians" - notably in the West Bank. The UN's latest report on Israeli settlements notes that in October 2024, there were 162 settler attacks on Palestinian olive harvesters, many of them in the presence of IDF soldiers. Of the 174 settler violence incidents studied by the UN, 109 were not reported to Israeli authorities. Most Palestinian victims said they didn't report the attacks due to a lack of trust in the Israeli system; some said they feared retaliation by settlers or the authorities if they did.
Sky News
12-08-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Settlers and segregation: Inside the conflict forcing Palestinians from their homes
By Stuart Ramsay, chief correspondent On the side of a busy road outside the West Bank city of Ramallah, I'm speaking to Mohammed Robin. I'd read how he left his smallholding one morning to go to work, and when he came back he found it had been taken over by Israeli settlers. He was not allowed in - they simply told him to leave. We agreed that I'd follow his pick-up truck to a hill overlooking his property so I could see. He said it was far enough away from the settlers below to be safe. We turned off the main road on to a dirt track and drove about half a mile across rolling rocky hills, before pulling up to a stop. As we spoke on the hilltop, we noticed movement at his property down below. Two men jumped into an all-terrain buggy, along with a large black dog. They started moving up the hill towards us - we had obviously been spotted. The buggy pulled up and two heavily-armed settlers climbed out and exchanged a few words with Mohammed. I introduced myself and asked about Mohammed's home and why he couldn't return to it. They basically ignored me and said nothing. The men then manoeuvred the buggy sideways, blocking the track so we couldn't get past them. Still ignoring me, they walked to Mohammed's truck, looked inside, then walked back over and glanced into our vehicle. They still hadn't said a word to us. The two men talked to each other in whispers, and one stayed behind with us, while the other drove back towards Mohammed's occupied home. Settlers can be notoriously volatile and clearly Mohammed felt uncomfortable, if not a little scared that more settlers might return with the driver who'd just gone back down the hill. With nobody talking and not much happening, we decided to leave. Mohammed's family had owned the property since 1952, when the land was developed by his grandfather. "He built olive trees on it," Mohammed had told me. "Then my father was a teacher and supported the land and invested in it." "When I was growing up I used to come here and play, we used to come and visit our grandfather and grandmother." "I have to go the legal route to defend my land, but even with a legal process, I'm not... there's not much chance. This is aggression." Settler encroachment is perhaps the most important issue in the West Bank at the moment, and it's got worse since the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel, and the subsequent war in Gaza. The settlers feel emboldened, the government is largely supporting them, they act with impunity and are in many ways enabled by Israel security forces. It's left Palestinians like Mohammed traumatised and angry, but perhaps worse, overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness. I spent two weeks in the West Bank and saw that fundamental human rights are being whittled away daily, while the world watches on. It's different to the war in Gaza of course, but Palestinians in the West Bank are involved in a conflict nonetheless. THE ISOLATED TOWN I'd heard about Sinjel, a Palestinian town in the West Bank I was told was cut off from the outside world. It isn't yet completely surrounded but a five-metre-high metal fence around its eastern edge, and the early stages of construction on the other side, indicates the direction it's going. We entered the town on a small road that is the only exit and entry now available to its 8,000 residents. The main entry point has been permanently shut by the Israeli army since the 7 October attack. Israel says the barricades and fence are there to protect the main road from attack by stone-throwing villagers – security concerns are used as a catch-all reasoning for virtually everything. Sinjel is the first town in the West Bank to be slowly encircled and many here believe it won't be the last. It's a particularly vivid example of Israeli segregation. The mayor, Mutaz Tawafsha, told me that people who live here have two big issues. One is the encroachment of settlers on their land and the other is the fence and barricaded gates. "They're trying to make Sinjel a jail by isolating people from their land, from the north side, south side, east side, and west side." We walked along the fence towards a large, thick, orange iron barrier gate closing off the main entrance to the town. "We've had this gate from before October 7th by the way, and the army opens it and closes it as they like, but since October 7th it's been closed," Mutaz explained. I asked him if they could not just cut the padlocks to the gate and open it. "They have a camera over there, you will see it and they're going to come and take you," he said, pointing to a CCTV camera just above. "They are watching us right now." As we spoke, it became clear that the other big issue - the settlers - is in many ways more dangerous to their community. The mayor took out his phone and showed me a video he'd filmed of a settler attack on a farm on the edge of town. The video, included above, shows a farm building being ransacked and later set on fire by a large group, and a second video shows sheep and goats being herded away from the farm by the settlers. He took me to the place he had filmed that from, and I asked him if we could get a little closer to the area. He looked at me incredulously. "If you just try to go close to the settlers, you will see them, they are going to come and start to attack you." The West Bank would form the largest territorial part of a Palestinian state if it were to be recognised. It's geographically on the west bank of the River Jordan – hence its name – and it is, nominally at least, divided into areas A, B, and C under the terms of the Oslo Agreement. 'A' areas are the most densely populated, largely major towns and cities fully governed by the Palestinian Authority and its security services. 'B' areas are governed by the Palestinian Authority, but they have an Israeli security presence. Area 'C' is entirely administered by Israel and its security forces and takes up 60% of the West Bank. There are signs for these different areas everywhere in the West Bank, and the striking red 'Area A' sign clearly states that Israeli citizens are not allowed to enter "by Israeli law". But movement for Palestinians, even in Area A, is now so disrupted by Israeli security checks and barrier gates locked at will that normal life is effectively suspended. For example, leaving one part of town to reach another involves walking past a closed gate, across the road, past another closed gate and then the journey home. Car journeys are characterised by hours-long queues at checkpoints, and treatment can be arbitrarily unpleasant. At an armed checkpoint, we watched as a man in the car in front of us was told to get out and hand over ID documents for himself and the other passenger. He handed over his documents to one of the two soldiers and was told to get back in his car and wait. The soldier then gestured for the man to collect the documents, and as he got out of his car to get them, the soldier threw the documents on the ground. The man leaned down, picked them up, and quietly drove away. Israeli military seen in Hebron in the West Bank The Israeli military uses a range of obstacles like iron gates and concrete roadblocks across the West Bank. The Israeli justification for these barriers is security – what's undeniable is the impact they have on movement across the West Bank for Palestinians. The obstacles can range from earth mounds to checkpoints that are accompanied by inspections and guarded 24/7. The use of these obstacles has intensified. Since the 7 October attack, the number of obstacles has risen by more than 200. In early 2023, the United Nations documented a total of 645 obstacles in the West Bank. By early 2025, it had risen to 849. And from what we've seen while travelling around the West Bank, that number is growing all the time. Beneath the hilltop village of Al Mughayyir, we watched as IDF soldiers oversaw a digger working on a roadway, while a new barrier gate was being moved into position from the back of a lorry. I introduced myself to the two soldiers and told them I was trying to get to the village. They were immediately uncomfortable, telling me it was a "military area" and to stop filming, and go away. THE SETTLER Daniel Winston is an American-born Israeli settler, who has lived in Israel for more than 25 years. He, his wife and 10 children live in Yitzhar – considered one of the most hardcore settler communities in the West Bank. Some members of the settlement and the religious school in Yitzhar have been sanctioned by the British government, for example, for aggressive behaviour or for 'promoting violence against non-Jewish people'. We weren't allowed to meet at his settlement, so he invited me to a lookout point in another one. He wanted to show me the valley where Joshua led the Israelites to the promised land, according to scriptures. He, like all the settlers, believe the land is theirs and reject any notion of a Palestinian state. Like the Israeli government, Daniel refers to the West Bank by its biblical names Judea and Samaria. "I've chosen to live in the West Bank, Judea and Samaria, truly out of a biblical imperative to make this happen and make it happen better, even though the entire world has this mythology around it being occupied territory and being the so-called the land of the Palestinians," he told me as we drove. Interestingly, Daniel is a relationship therapist. He struck me as well-mannered, and well read, but his views on the modern day, like many of the settlers, appear to be thousands of years old. Throughout our conversation he made it clear that in his mind the Bible trumped any type of modern international law. "I am not one of those frothing at the mouth settlers who are going to yell and scream and start throwing things at you because I don't like what you're saying," he said when I challenged him on the creation of a Palestinian state. "I don't like what you're saying because what you are saying is wrong, it is not consistent with a historical record, there was never a Palestinian state." "Even if I were to say, okay well these poor people they have to do something, they have to go somewhere, I would say, well, not on my account, not on my watch. "Because not only is it inimical to my essential national interests of settling the entire land of Israel, it's also an intrinsic danger, a clear and present danger to our physical survival." Daniel consistently argued that the presence of Israelites in the West Bank going back 3,000 years justified his claims that the land belongs to them. I pointed out that Romans controlled London thousands of years ago as well, but no Italian has ever claimed ownership of Park Lane. "The problem is that first of all the Italians aren't interested, second of all, the Italians can't claim that God sent them there, I can whether you believe it or not and I understand that people don't buy into that," he replied. "It's like, oh, that's just a religious thing, yeah, that's what it is, you know, God's real, and he wrote the Bible, and the Bible says, 'I made this land, and I want you to be here'." A TWO-STATE SOLUTION? The UK, France and Canada are all threatening to recognise Palestine as a state in the coming months, much to the condemnation of Israel. All these countries talk of the so-called two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians live side-by-side. Israel rejects it and despite decades of negotiation and sometimes apparent agreement, the two-state solution remains a theoretical possibility – although many here doubt it's actually achievable. Yossi Beilin is one of the original architects of a two-state solution plan. He has worked on it for years and points out that because of this it remains viable if both parties were willing, as many technical issues have been addressed in the past. "If you don't want to solve the Israeli-Palestinian problem, you will always have good enough reasons on both sides why never to do that," he told me at his home in Tel Aviv. "But if you want to solve the problem, you will find you will solve it." Beilin is a rare voice of optimism in what is a largely depressing state of affairs. I asked him if we'd reached a tipping point where a two-state solution was just no longer possible. He fixed his eyes on me as he delivered his assessment. "We are in a situation whereby both sides need the two-states solution badly," he said. "The Palestinians, because this is the only way for them to fulfil their vision of said determination. "For the Israelis, it is the way to have a border, unless we do it unilaterally, and we already know that unilateral decisions about borders are not usually fulfilled - so we need an agreement about the border in order to assure that Israel is a Jewish and democratic state, otherwise, we are doomed." CREDITS Reporting: Stuart Ramsay, Sky News chief correspondent Production: Sameer Bazbaz and Dominique Van Heerden Camera Operator: Mostyn Pryce Shorthand production: Michael Drummond, foreign news reporter OSINT Producer: Olive Enokido-Lineham Editing: Adam Parris-Long, assistant editor Design: Arianne Cantwell, Eloise Atter, Anisa Momen and Carmela Joannou Top Built with Shorthand
Sky News
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Israel-Iran live: 'Explosions heard' in Qatar after 'credible threat' by Iran against US base
Watch Q&A: Our experts answer your questions Presenter Jayne Secker has been putting your questions to our experts - international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn and chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay. Hundreds of you got in touch about the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities at the weekend and the conflict in the Middle East. Ramsay has been in Iraq this week reporting on the crisis, while Waghorn was in Geneva last week covering talks between European leaders and Iran's foreign minister. Watch below as they answer your questions. Six missiles fired towards US bases in Qatar - report With explosions heard over Qatar moments ago, a report in the US suggests six missiles have been launched at the country. Axios, citing an Israeli official, reports Iran has targeted US bases in Qatar. The news site, along with the Wall Street Journal, had earlier reported Iran was preparing to fire missiles at the bases. Explosions heard over Qatari capital - report Reuters news agency is reporting a series of explosions over Doha, the capital of Qatar. As we've just been reporting - see the posts below this one - a "credible Iranian threat" has been observed on the country, which hosts a huge US air base. 'Credible Iranian threat' to US base in Qatar According to a Western diplomat, cited by Reuters news agency, there has been a credible threat against the al Udeid air base in Qatar since midday today. In addition, the Wall Street Journal reports Iran has positioned missile launchers for a potential attack on US forces. As we just posted below, the closure of Qatari airspace is extremely significant, coming within hours of the UK and US warning its citizens there to take shelter. This all comes after the US carried out airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Donald Trump visited the al Udeid air base in May. Analysis: Qatar airspace closure 'extremely significant' - and signals a threat is real By Dominic Waghorn, international affairs editor Qatar's decision to close its airspace is extremely significant, following the US and UK advising its citizens there to shelter in place earlier today. Doha International Airport is a key global hub for international air travel and a symbol of Qatar's influence and prestige across the world. This would not be a decision taken lightly, and must be down to very specific intelligence about a direct threat to the country. Qatar is home to al Udeid Air Base, the biggest US military base in the Middle East, and around 8,000 troops are based there. Britain's RAF also has a presence there. The US has been waiting for Iran's response to its strikes on its nuclear sites, and if they are targeting al Udeid, this would be one of the more extreme options they could have chosen. If Iran does target al Udeid, and inflict any American casualties, that would surely provoke a huge US response and more risk of President Trump being further drawn into a longer confrontation. If Iran gets a nuclear weapon, others will follow - UK foreign secretary The UK's foreign secretary has been speaking in Parliament this afternoon, answering questions around the Israel-Iran conflict. Responding to a question on the legality of any potential UK involvement, David Lammy warned Iran cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. "We are in agreement that Iran and the regime in Iran can never have a nuclear weapon, and all of our efforts are designed to ensure that that is the case," he said. "And the whole House [Parliament] will understand that this is not just about Iran, the region and global security - it is because we have to remain steadfast in our commitment to not see nuclear proliferation. "And if Iran got a nuclear weapon, clearly, there would be others in the region that would seek to follow." For context: Israeli leaders argued Iran could quickly assemble a nuclear weapon, making it an imminent threat, while US intelligence and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) assessed Tehran was not actively pursuing a bomb. The IAEA had, though, declared that Iran was in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in 20 years on 12 June. Israeli arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran - report Police in Israel have reportedly arrested a man on suspicion of spying for Iran. According to Ynet, a 27-year-old from Tel Aviv is being detained until Thursday for allegedly carrying out tasks for an Iranian official. Detectives found the suspect had been in contact with the official for several months, documenting homes of elected officials and military bases, the report added. The suspect is also accused of receiving thousands of dollars in virtual currencies for his tasks. Alleged spies have also been arrested in Iran since this conflict began. Earlier today, reports suggested Iran has executed a man convicted of collaborating with Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad - see our 6.49am post. Qatar shuts airspace temporarily after US and UK warnings We've reported today that both the US and UK have warned its citizens in Qatar to shelter in place. The US has said that warning is out of an "abundance of caution", and Qatar had said the advice doesn't reflect the situation. But the Qataris have now temporarily shut down its airspace, the foreign ministry has just confirmed. It added the move has been done to ensure the safety of residents and visitors. This comes as Iran repeated earlier threats to retaliate against the US after strikes on its nuclear sites. Explosions heard in southwest Iran Iranian media is reporting an explosion has been heard in the southwest. According to Fars news agency, air defences have been activated in the city of Ahvaz. UK confirms RAF flight has evacuated British citizens from Israel Foreign Secretary David Lammy has confirmed that an RAF flight evacuated British citizens from Israel to Cyprus today. Speaking to MPs in the House of Commons, he says the group will be brought home "this evening", and more flights will follow. Lammy says a booking portal opened yesterday for those British citizens in Israel who want to leave. Going forward, he says those with the "greatest need" will be prioritised. The foreign secretary again urged people in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories to register their presence with the British embassy to receive the latest updates. Sky News understands that the UK's chief rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, was aboard the flight as he had been in Israel.
Sky News
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Israel-Iran live: Qatar shuts airspace after US and UK warnings; watch live Q&A with Sky News experts
Iran has asked Russia's Vladimir Putin for help today, while vowing revenge against the US for its strikes on nuclear facilities at the weekend. Meanwhile, Israel continues to attack Iran. Watch live as our experts answer your questions, and follow the latest on the conflict, below. 16:47:08 Watch live now: Our experts answer your questions Presenter Jayne Secker is putting your questions to our experts - international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn and chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay. Hundreds of you have been in touch about the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities at the weekend and the conflict in the Middle East. Ramsay has been in Iraq this week reporting on the crisis, while Waghorn was in Geneva last week covering talks between European leaders and Iran's foreign minister. Watch live via the stream at the top of the page as they answer your questions for the next 30 minutes. 16:58:01 Israeli arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran - report Police in Israel have reportedly arrested a man on suspicion of spying for Iran. According to Ynet, a 27-year-old from Tel Aviv is being detained until Thursday for allegedly carrying out tasks for an Iranian official. Detectives found the suspect had been in contact with the official for several months, documenting homes of elected officials and military bases, the report added. The suspect is also accused of receiving thousands of dollars in virtual currencies for his tasks. Alleged spies have also been arrested in Iran since this conflict began. Earlier today, reports suggested Iran has executed a man convicted of collaborating with Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad - see our 6.49am post. 16:47:00 Qatar shuts airspace temporarily after US and UK warnings We've reported today that both the US and UK have warned its citizens in Qatar to shelter in place. The US has said that warning is out of an "abundance of caution", and Qatar had said the advice doesn't reflect the situation. But the Qataris have now temporarily shut down its airspace, the foreign ministry has just confirmed. It added the move has been done to ensure the safety of residents and visitors. This comes as Iran repeated earlier threats to retaliate against the US after strikes on its nuclear sites. 16:22:01 UK confirms RAF flight has evacuated British citizens from Israel Foreign Secretary David Lammy has confirmed that an RAF flight evacuated British citizens from Israel to Cyprus today. Speaking to MPs in the House of Commons, he says the group will be brought home "this evening", and more flights will follow. Lammy says a booking portal opened yesterday for those British citizens in Israel who want to leave. Going forward, he says those with the "greatest need" will be prioritised. The foreign secretary again urged people in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories to register their presence with the British embassy to receive the latest updates. Sky News understands that the UK's chief rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, was aboard the flight as he had been in Israel. 16:08:22 UK follows US in telling citizens in Qatar to 'shelter in place' The UK's Foreign Office has followed the American example by telling British citizens in Qatar to "shelter in place". Earlier, the US issued the same warning to Americans in Qatar. Qatar's foreign ministry insisted the advice did not reflect the situation in the country. The Foreign Office said: "Following a US security alert for US nationals in Qatar, out of an abundance of caution, we recommend that British nationals in Qatar shelter in place until further notice. "Follow instructions from local authorities." Further updates will be issued as the situation develops, the Foreign Office added. 15:55:01 Iran could attack American forces 'soon', sources tell Reuters The US believes Iran could carry out retaliatory attacks targeting American forces in the Middle East soon, two US officials have told Reuters. One of the officials said the attack could happen within the next day or two. But the sources also told Reuters that Washington was looking for a diplomatic resolution. Trump's intervention over the weekend has raised fears of an escalation in the region. While Trump repeatedly said on the presidential campaign trail last year that the US should not be involved in what he called "forever wars", over the weekend the US struck three nuclear sites in Iran. Trump then warned against retaliation by Iran, saying it would be "met with force far greater than what was witnessed" over the weekend. 15:42:54 IDF warns Tehran residents to 'stay away' from military areas The IDF has issued a warning to residents in Tehran, telling them to stay away from certain areas in the coming days. In a message on X, the IDF said Israel's army would "continue to strike military targets in the Tehran area". "For your safety, we ask you to stay away from weapons manufacturing plants, military headquarters, and security institutions affiliated with the regime," the IDF said in a statement. 15:38:31 Watch foreign secretary update MPs on Israel-Iran conflict David Lammy, the UK's foreign secretary, is updating MPs now on the Israel-Iran conflict. It comes following weekend strikes by the US on Iranian nuclear sites. You can watch and follow the speech via our Politics Hub - just click below. 15:36:01 US strikes on Iran 'did not violate international law', Rutte says Back to Mark Rutte, who has been taking questions from reporters ahead of the NATO summit. Asked about the US strikes on Iran over the weekend, he has said America did not violate international law. Trump said over the weekend that the strikes caused "monumental damage". However, the scale of the destruction is not yet clear.
