Hilltop Youth escalates violent settlement attacks in the West Bank

The Hilltop Youth, a network of young Israeli settlers, has intensified violent actions against Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank. Originating in 1998 after then‑foreign minister Ariel Sharon urged settlers to seize hilltops, the group has grown with successive Israeli governments, receiving legislative, administrative and security support, especially since the current administration took office in December 2022.

The United Nations recorded more than 1,330 settler attacks in the first half of 2026 – a conservative estimate – including vandalism, arson, and physical and sexual assaults. In a right‑wing podcast, Hilltop Youth leader Elisha Yered boasted that the group is “proud of initiating friction,” noting that even the army is involved. These outposts are deemed illegal under both Israeli and international law, yet they continue to expand, heightening tensions in the region.