Settler violence against Palestinians must end, says Israel’s President
text_fields
Jerusalem: Israel’s President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday condemned what he called a “shocking and serious” attack by Jewish settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, urging an end to the escalating wave of settler violence in the occupied territory.
Herzog’s remarks add a rare and strong voice of criticism to the largely muted responses from top Israeli officials regarding settler attacks. Though largely ceremonial, the President’s position is intended to serve as a moral compass and unifying force for the nation.
Describing the attacks as crossing a “red line,” Herzog said in a social media post that “all state authorities must act decisively to eradicate the phenomenon and to strengthen the IDF fighters and security forces who protect us day and night.”
The comments followed violent incidents on Tuesday in the Palestinian villages of Beit Lid and Deir Sharaf, where dozens of masked Israeli settlers set fire to vehicles and other property before clashing with Israeli soldiers. Central Command Chief Maj Gen Avi Bluth described the actions of this “anarchist fringe” within the settler community as “unacceptable,” warning that such attacks divert vital resources from security and counterterrorism operations. “The reality in which anarchist fringe youth act violently against innocent civilians and against security forces is unacceptable and extremely serious,” Bluth said.
The violence comes amid a surge in settler attacks following the war in Gaza two years ago, with incidents intensifying during the Palestinian olive harvest. According to the UN humanitarian office, there were more Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank in October than in any month since monitoring began in 2006, with over 260 recorded incidents.
Palestinians and human rights groups have long accused the Israeli army and police of failing to prevent such attacks. Critics note that Israel’s government is dominated by far-right leaders supportive of the settler movement, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who directs settlement policy, and Cabinet Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, responsible for national policing.
In Tuesday’s incidents, Israeli authorities said soldiers responded to attacks in Beit Lid and Deir Sharaf, after which settlers retreated to a nearby industrial zone, assaulted soldiers, and damaged a military vehicle. Police reported the arrest of four Israelis in connection with “extremist violence,” while the army said four Palestinians were injured.
Palestinian official Muayyad Shaaban, head of the Commission Against the Wall and Settlements, stated that settlers set fire to dairy trucks, farmland, tin shacks, and tents belonging to a Bedouin community, calling the attacks part of a broader campaign to displace Palestinians. “Israel provides settlers protection and immunity,” he alleged, urging sanctions against groups sponsoring settlement violence.
Residents of Beit Lid described living in constant fear. Mahmoud Edeis said, “To feel that my children are safe… but at any moment something could happen. This can’t go on. We can’t live our whole lives in a state of fear and danger.” Amjad Amer Al-Juneidi, who works at an attacked dairy factory, said the assailants executed a “fully organised” attack, with gasoline-filled cans, forced entry, and deliberate ignition of the fuel, demonstrating a coordinated effort.
With PTI inputs