Israeli settlers assaulted Peace Now director Lior Amichai during a tour in the West Bank’s Ein Samiya spring on Wednesday, as he was guiding members of the left-wing Democrats party. Video footage showed settlers boarding the group’s minibus, demanding identification, and attacking Amichai, who sustained a minor head injury. The confrontation occurred near a spring that settlers have taken over in the past year, restricting Palestinian access.

Amichai said he contacted authorities, and soldiers later arrived after the settlers had fled. However, as the activists attempted to leave the area, their vehicle was stopped at a checkpoint by the Israel Defense Forces following claims by settlers that the activists had initiated the assault. The group was detained for about an hour before police arrived, recorded their details, and released them.

The incident came amid broader tensions in the West Bank, where settler attacks on Palestinians and activists have reportedly increased. On the same day, settlers accompanied by soldiers entered the Palestinian village of Jaljilya, where a 16-year-old Palestinian was shot dead during a confrontation. Critics say Israeli authorities frequently fail to prevent or prosecute settler violence, pointing to hundreds of recorded incidents in the past year and accusing the government of allowing extremist attacks to continue with little accountability.