Rights organisations say Israeli settlers are 'exploiting lack of attention' to attack Palestinians in West Bank

At least 30 rights organisations in Israel have issued a statement on Sunday, calling on the international community to "stop the state-backed wave of settler violence" taking place in the occupied West Bank.

According to the statement, Israeli settlers have been "exploiting the lack of public attention to the West Bank, as well as the general atmosphere of rage against Palestinians, to escalate their campaign of violent attacks in an attempt to forcibly transfer Palestinian communities".

The rights organisations say that at least 13 herding communities have been displaced since the start of the war on 7 October, while many more are in danger. 

"Palestinian farmers are particularly vulnerable at this time, during the annual olive harvest season, because if they are unable to pick their olives they will lose a year's income," the statement said. 

Some of the signatories of the statement include Amnesty International Israel, Rabbis for Human Rights, Combatants for Peace and Association for Civil Rights in Israel.