“As long as the world is not forgetting us, we are not lost.”
Palestinian man, Susiya, occupied West Bank
In March, EAPPI made the difficult decision to temporarily bring our Ecumenical Accompaniers (EAs) home following the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran and the unpredictable security situation. But our accompaniment of communities didn’t stop.
We know how deeply communities in Palestine feel the absence of international accompaniment during times of insecurity and we hear their call for ongoing solidarity as violent attacks by the Israeli state and settlers reach record levels.
This is why, in the weeks that followed, we launched our Virtual Accompaniment Programme, enabling the connection between accompaniers and Palestinian communities to continue.
Through online calls, our EAs continued to meet with Palestinian communities across the occupied West Bank to keep documenting the violence against them – listening, recording and bearing witness to what people are living through – and helping to ensure that human rights violations are reported on and shared with the world.
We spoke with Laura*, one of our accompaniers from the UK. She shared:
“The Virtual Accompaniment Programme feels to me like a vital act of solidarity. While we cannot be there in person, the communities we work with know we are still with them in spirit, that we listen, that we care, and that we want to share their stories.”
Laura, Ecumenical Accompanier, UK
Since the start of the war, violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank intensified dramatically: In March 2026 alone, about 170 Palestinians were injured by Israeli settlers living illegally on Palestinian land, the highest monthly number of injuries by settler attacks since the United Nations began documenting in 2006. The UK government’s recent statement echoes this:
“Acts of settler violence are not a series of isolated incidents. They represent an accelerated campaign to prevent a future Palestinian State driven by an extremist ideology, which even includes acts of settler terrorism…these actions are underpinned by a culture of impunity.”
Statement by UK Chargé d’Affaires to the United Nations, May 2026
Laura’s experiences reflect this:
“All the communities I’ve met with virtually say that settler violence has gotten worse since the war started. I remember visiting One community in the South Hebron Hills in February shortly before having to leave the West Bank. They used to describe settler harassment or attacks happening a few times a week. Now they say it happens every day, or several times a day.”
Laura, Ecumenical Accompanier, UK
This surge in violence has led to the mass displacement of Palestinian communities from their homes: by mid-March alone, the UN had recorded more than 1,500 Palestinians displaced by settler attacks and actions by the Israeli government – almost the total displaced during all of 2025. Tens of thousands more are at imminent risk of forced displacement.
During one call, Laura was documenting incidents from the previous week in a remote farming village in the South Hebron Hills. One of the people she spoke with replied:
“If you want to know everything that has happened you will need a whole book to write it.“
South Hebron Hills
He shared how they don’t keep track of attacks anymore, as they are happening so constantly. Another Palestinian man, Khalil*, from Qawawis in the South Hebron Hills shared:
“As a Palestinian, every hour, every moment there is an attack, in the farm, in the house. It is like a Mafia you’ve never seen before.”
Khalil, Qawawis, South Hebron Hills
Laura added:
“Khalil describes what many Palestinians have been telling us: while it might not be his home that is attacked every hour, they know that even if they get through the night without an attack, Israeli settlers are attacking their neighbours elsewhere. People told us they struggle to enjoy the rare moments of peace they get, because they know that somewhere across the West Bank, another Palestinian community is under attack.”
But Laura affirmed:
“All the people we speak to in Palestine say they feel it’s important that we maintain contact with the communities, and that they know that we care. “
“While there is little we can do physically to change the situation of the Palestinians in the West Bank separated by distance, the very least we can do is listen and share their stories. We also want to maintain trust with communities we have stood alongside for decades, making sure they don’t feel abandoned.”
Laura, Ecumenical Accompanier, UK
While our physical accompaniment will carry on where it can, so will our virtual accompaniment in those areas where international volunteers are not able to safely be with communities. Either way, EAPPI will continue to stand in solidarity with all those living under occupation and all those working towards its just and peaceful end.
But we need your help too. This worsening situation will only change if governments like our own end their support for illegal settlements the violent policies and actions of the Israeli government and settlers.
Take action
1. Call on your elected representative to protect Khan al-Ahmar from forced displacement: Send the email – UK; Send the email – Ireland.
2. Email your elected representative to demand they stop trading with illegal settlements as a first step to end support for Israel’s illegal occupation which prevents children from playing: Send the email – UK; Send the email – Ireland.
3. Donate: The need for solidarity and accompaniment is more important than ever. Your support helps us maintain a solidarity presence in Palestine and Israel — witnessing human rights abuses and walking alongside communities under threat.
*Laura and Khalil’s names were changed for their safety.
What does international law say?