The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has strongly condemned what it described as a “terrorist crime” carried out by Israeli settlers in the village of Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.
According to the ministry, the attack left three Palestinians dead and several others injured after settlers allegedly opened live fire on residents during what officials described as a large-scale assault on the village.
In a statement released Sunday, the ministry said armed settler groups targeted the community while Israeli forces were present in the area.
It alleged that Israeli soldiers detained Palestinian residents during the incident and provided support to the settlers.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates strongly condemns the terrorist crime committed today by settler gangs in the village of Abu Falah,” the statement read.
Officials said the incident reflects what they believe is a broader escalation in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities throughout the West Bank.
The ministry described the attack as part of a “serious and systematic escalation in the crimes committed by settler militias against Palestinian citizens, their land, and their property,” claiming the actions occur with “coordination, backing, and encouragement from Israeli occupation forces.”
The ministry went further, characterising the incident as “an act of organized terrorism” and urging the international community to take legal steps against what it called settler militias.
It called for international legal mechanisms to classify such groups as terrorist organisations and for those responsible to be held accountable.
The statement also urged global institutions to intervene to stop what it described as ongoing violence against Palestinians and to provide international protection for civilians living in the occupied territory.
“The Ministry renews its call on the international community and all its institutions to take urgent action to stop settler terrorism,” it said, adding that accountability is essential to prevent perpetrators from avoiding punishment.
The ministry also placed responsibility on the Israeli government, saying it holds it “fully and directly responsible” for the attack and similar incidents.
Despite the violence, the ministry said Palestinians remain committed to their national rights and will continue diplomatic and political efforts to pursue accountability for alleged crimes against their people.
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