Israeli President Isaac Herzog has condemned a “shocking and serious” attack by dozens of masked settlers on Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, saw settlers injure four Palestinians and attack Israeli soldiers, marking a rare official acknowledgment of rising settler violence.
The settlers targeted the villages of Beit Lid and Deir Sharaf, setting vehicles on fire and damaging property, including a Bedouin community and the al-Juneidi dairy factory, a major local employer. Four trucks loaded with products were set ablaze, leaving charred remains.
Settler violence has surged since the Gaza war began two years ago, with at least 1,001 Palestinians killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem by settlers and soldiers. The UN recorded 260 attacks in October, the deadliest month since 2006. Human rights groups warn of a “permissive environment” backed by far-right Israeli ministers.
Herzog called for decisive action to “eradicate the phenomenon,” while the top Israeli military official in the West Bank, Maj Gen Avi Bluth, described the violence as “unacceptable.” However, such statements are rare, as officials have largely ignored settler violence despite its contravention of Israeli and international law.
The Israeli army said soldiers responded to the attacks, prompting settlers to flee to a nearby industrial zone, where they assaulted soldiers and damaged a military vehicle. Police arrested four settlers, an unusual step given the impunity often afforded to settlers. Human rights groups accuse the government of standing by as violence escalates, pointing to ministers like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, who have loosened gun regulations and established civilian guard units.
The international community has condemned the violence. In October, the UN human rights office noted that Israeli authorities investigate such attacks only in “extremely rare cases,” with no progress in most instances.
