Settler attacks in the occupied West Bank are escalating, and a US news crew getting caught in one has forced a rare official response — bad for Palestinians, and awkward for Israel's government and its American backers.

• A Palestinian woman was beaten unconscious near her own home while talking to reporters, and the journalists with her were clubbed and their car smashed.
• The UN counts 76 Palestinians killed by settlers this year, 18 of them children.
• Netanyahu called the attackers lawbreakers, but his statement focused on the damage to Israel's image rather than the dead.
• Critics say the violence continues because the army looks the other way or works alongside the settlers, with closed military zones applied only to Palestinians.
• A separate US court ruling struck down the Trump administration's attempt to deport people over pro-Palestinian speech, saying non-citizens also have free speech rights.

Outlook: Expect more settler attacks and more statements without policy changes, while the deportation ruling heads to appeal.