In the town of al-Sawiya, south of Nablus, settlers attacked Palestinians early on Wednesday as they attempted to reach their land to harvest olives, preventing them from accessing their groves and threatening them with weapons and iron bars.

In the last two years Israel has erected nearly 1,000 barriers in the occupied West Bank, restricting movement for Palestinians and severely hindering their lives, a local government body said.

The vote by Israel's parliament, the Knesset, came with Vice President JD Vance visiting Israel to shore up the Gaza ceasefire that was brokered by Mr. Trump's administration. The president has made clear he would not back annexation of the West Bank.

Protective presence involves the placement of Israeli and international citizens in vulnerable Palestinian communities in order to deter and document illegal settler violence. Since the current Israeli government coalition came to power in December 2022,

U.S. Vice President JD Vance has criticized Israel’s parliament vote on West Bank annexation, saying the move was an “insult.”

Vice President JD Vance said a Knesset vote was an "insult." Secretary of State Marco Rubio planned to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later Thursday.

Israel's Knesset, in a preliminary vote, approved sovereignty in the West Bank, described as a political ploy by right-wing opposition during JD Vance's visit.

The brother of the journalist Shireen Abu Akleh shot dead by the Israeli army three years ago alleges that new revelations from an American military officer who investigated her killing reveals a US cover-up.