This story originally appeared in Mondoweiss on Oct. 17, 2022. It is shared here with permission.

The West Bank and Jerusalem are “on fire.” 

It’s a term we’re seeing used more and more across social media, the news, and opinion pieces talking about the current events in the occupied Palestinian territory. It’s also not a new phrase used to describe waves of suppression and resistance in Palestine, most recently the 2021 Unity Intifada that swept across historic Palestine. 

The current repression, and the resistance to it, are part of a larger, months-long campaign to quell growing Palestinian resistance, particularly armed resistance, which has seen a resurgence in areas of the West Bank. 

So what exactly is unfolding in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem right now, and why? What makes it different from what we’ve seen in recent history, and what does it mean for the future of Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation and settler-colonialism?

The past few weeks have witnessed a noticeable intensification of Israel’s crackdown on Palestinians in the West Bank, targeting both ordinary civilians in their homes and villages, and armed resistance fighters and groups. 

Simultaneously, armed settlers have been terrorizing Palestinian communities across the West Bank, often in the presence and protection of the Israeli military. 

The current repression, and the resistance to it, are part of a larger, months-long campaign to quell growing Palestinian resistance, particularly armed resistance, which has seen a resurgence in areas of the West Bank. 

The rise of Palestinian resistance in the face of a brutal crackdown 

Since the start of October, Israeli forces have killed 15 Palestinians — four of them teenagers and children — primarily during night raids and arrest operations.