Palestinian ministry urges global pressure as Israel tightens siege on West Bank town

AL-MUGHAYYIR, 31 AUGUST 2026 —

Ramallah, Malaysia – The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday warned that Israel has imposed a “strangling siege” on the West Bank town of Al‑Mughayyir, cutting access to the settlement to two hours a day for the past 20 days and barring ambulances, and called on the international community to apply political, legal and economic pressure to halt what it described as coordinated military attacks and illegal settler activity.

In a statement released on Saturday, the ministry said Israel had “closed the town’s gates and allowed residents to move only for two hours a day” since 20 days ago.

It claimed that Israeli forces also prevented an ambulance from entering Al‑Mughayyir while Palestinians were being “targeted indiscriminately.” The ministry described the measures as part of a policy “to create a reality of killing, violence and forced displacement, and to change the facts on the ground.”

The statement cited a recent incident on Friday in which three Palestinians were injured during an attack by Israeli settlers engaged in “illegal activities” in Al‑Mughayyir. According to the ministry, Israeli soldiers and the settlers then seized an ambulance that was on its way to transport the wounded.

“The ministry urges the international community and all countries not merely to issue verbal condemnations but to take political, legal and economic steps that can exert pressure and provide international protection to the Palestinian people,” the statement read.

“We also call for international jurisdictions to be activated to prosecute those responsible for violations of law, to prevent illegal settlement products from entering international markets and to act against entities supplying weapons, funds or support to the occupying forces.”

The ministry warned that continued political and legal protection for illegal Jewish settlers could “lead to an uncontrollable escalation of conflict.” It urged the activation of international mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable and to block the flow of settlement‑related goods into global supply chains.

The siege of Al‑Mughayyir comes as the occupied West Bank has seen a surge in Israeli military operations and settler attacks since the Gaza war began. The ministry’s appeal underscores the broader humanitarian and security concerns that have implications for regional stability and for businesses operating in or with the Palestinian territories.

For Malaysian and regional investors, the heightened restrictions on movement and the targeting of medical aid raise the risk of supply‑chain disruptions for firms with projects or partnerships in the West Bank. Companies reliant on local labour or logistics may face increased costs and delays, while humanitarian‑focused enterprises could encounter heightened operational challenges.

The ministry’s call for sanctions on entities supplying weapons or funding to Israeli forces also signals potential regulatory scrutiny for firms linked to defence or security sectors operating in the region.

The statement did not specify any concrete measures taken by foreign governments or international bodies in response to the ministry’s appeal. It concluded by reiterating the demand for “political, legal and economic” actions to protect Palestinians and to prevent the further entrenchment of illegal settlement activities.

Related: Al-Mughayyir