Men load a truck with belongings in Mughayyir al-Deir, in the Deir Dibwan district east of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, as inhabitants dismantle their homes to evacuate from their village, fearing Israeli settler attacks, on May 22, 2025. (Credit: Menahem Kahana/AFP)
BEIRUT — A group of Western diplomatic missions on Tuesday condemned the recent "forcible" displacement of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank community of Mughayyir al-Deir, blaming escalating settler violence and the Israeli authorities' failure to provide protection.
In a joint statement, 13 missions — including the consulates general of the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Spain, as well as the European Union’s representative office — expressed "strong solidarity" with the displaced residents and urged Israel to dismantle a nearby settler outpost.
Mughayyir al-Deir, located east of Ramallah and surrounded by Israeli settlements, was emptied last month after what rights groups described as an unprecedented settler campaign. An illegal outpost was established close to the village, and residents were driven out over several days of violence.
"Israeli settlers have established an outpost just meters from the community, which is a clear violation of international law," the statement read. "We urge the Israeli authorities to dismantle the outpost immediately and to take urgent and effective measures to enable the safe return of the displaced residents."
Mughayyir al-Deir, one of the last remaining Palestinian communities in the area, was abandoned following what the missions described as a "deeply troubling pattern" of settler attacks and a climate of impunity.
On April 13, Israeli settlers launched a large-scale attack that left one Palestinian man dead and at least 25 others wounded, according to al-Jazeera. A second major assault occurred in May, when dozens of armed settlers — some masked and carrying rifles, pistols, and batons — chased Palestinians and activists across the valley, hospitalizing 10 people, including a 14-year-old boy and an Israeli human rights photographer, the Guardian reported.
The diplomats said the case reflects broader displacement trends in Area C (an area fully controlled by Israel) of the occupied West Bank, where tens of thousands of Palestinians face a high or imminent risk of forcible transfer.
They reaffirmed their opposition to Israeli settlements and called on Israel to meet its obligations under international law in light of what they described as a "lack of protection" for Palestinian communities.