On Wednesday, the President of Israel urged for an end to the escalating violence perpetrated by settlers, following a “shocking and serious” incident involving Jewish settlers attacking Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
Isaac Herzog’s remarks provided a rare and significant voice in what has been a subdued response from senior Israeli officials regarding settler violence. Although Herzog’s role is mostly ceremonial, it is intended to act as a moral guide and a source of unity for the nation.
Herzog stated that the violent acts carried out by a “handful” of individuals “cross a red line,” further emphasizing in a social media message that “all state authorities must take decisive action to eliminate this phenomenon.”
On Tuesday, a group of masked Israeli settlers assaulted the Palestinian villages of Beit Lid and Deir Sharaf in the West Bank, setting ablaze vehicles and other properties before engaging in clashes with Israeli soldiers.
Eyal Zamir, the chief of staff of the Israeli army, supported Herzog’s statements, asserting that the military “will not tolerate the actions of a minority of criminals who tarnish the reputation of a law-abiding public.”
He remarked that the army is dedicated to preventing violent acts by settlers, which he characterized as contradictory to Israeli values and distractions from the military’s core mission.
Masked Israeli settlers threw stones and burned vehicles, olive groves and buildings in the latest such attack in the occupied West Bank. The Israeli military said four Palestinians were treated for injuries and its own troops also came under attack.
Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth, who leads the military’s Central Command, noted that addressing an “anarchist fringe” necessitates considerable resources that could be better utilized for enhancing security and executing counterterrorism efforts.
According to the military, the settlers who attacked the villages escaped to a nearby industrial area where they assaulted soldiers who were responding to the violence, damaging a military vehicle in the process. Police reported that four Israelis were detained, while the military confirmed four Palestinians sustained injuries.
On Wednesday, police indicated that three of the detained suspects were released, while one minor, taken into custody on charges of arson and assault, will remain detained for an additional six days as mandated by a judge. The police also stated that the actions of the three released individuals are still under investigation, “aiming to bring the offenders to justice, irrespective of their background.”
Continued surge in settler violence
The incidents on Tuesday marked the latest in a series of aggressions by young settlers, which have escalated since the onset of the Gaza conflict over two years ago. The frequency of these attacks has increased recently as Palestinians engage in the annual olive harvest.
The United Nations humanitarian office reported last week that October witnessed more attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank than any other month since tracking began in 2006, with over 260 incidents recorded.
Palestinians and human rights advocates have accused the Israeli army and police of not doing enough to stop settler attacks. The current Israeli government is heavily influenced by far-right supporters of the settler movement, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who oversees settlement policy, and cabinet minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who manages the police force.
Muayyad Shaaban, who leads an office within the Palestinian Authority that monitors the violence, reported that settlers set fire to four dairy trucks, agricultural land, tin shacks, and tents belonging to a Bedouin community.
He claimed that these attacks are part of a strategy to expel Palestinians from their land and accused Israel of providing protection and immunity to the settlers. He has called for sanctions against those who “sponsor and support the colonial settlement terrorism project.”
The United Nations, Palestinians, and the majority of nations—including Canada—consider settlements illegal under international law. Israel contests this, citing biblical connections to the land and security concerns.
In a statement emailed to CBC News on Thursday, Global Affairs Canada reiterated this position.
“Canada strongly condemns the violent actions committed by extremist settlers and opposes any discussions or actions regarding the annexation of Palestinian territories,” the statement read.
Earlier this year, the Canadian government also imposed sanctions on Ben-Gvir and Smotrich as part of its fourth round of measures aimed at the “facilitators of extremist settler violence against civilians.”
In the West Bank city of Yatta, Dr. Tareq Abu Aram describes how often he treats victims of Israeli settler violence to the fifth estate’s Ioanna Roumeliotis, who visited Yatta hospital in August and spoke with Palestinians who were injured.
Violence undermining Palestinians’ right to safety
In Beit Lid, locals expressed their desire not to live in fear of settler aggression.
Mahmoud Edeis conveyed that the violence is infringing on his family’s right to live securely.
“To feel that my children are safe, that when I go to sleep I can say, ‘Alright, there’s nothing [to worry about],’” he stated. “But at any moment, something could happen…. This cannot continue. We can’t live our entire lives engulfed in fear and danger.”
Amjad Amer Al-Juneidi, who operates at a dairy factory that was attacked on Tuesday, described the assault as “fully organized,” noting that one individual was carrying gasoline-filled containers, another was forcing open the factory door with a crowbar, while a third person lit the fuel.
“Their entry into the factory was not random. It was methodically planned, and they had a clear strategy for how to execute the arson,” Al-Juneidi stated.