Israeli President Condemns Settler Violence against Palestinians

DID Press: Israeli President Isaac Herzog and two senior military officials have condemned recent violent attacks by Jewish settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, calling for an end to the escalating wave of unrest in the occupied territories.

Herzog described the attacks as “shocking and serious,” stressing that the violence, “at least by a small minority,” has crossed acceptable limits. In a social media statement, he urged that “all government institutions must act decisively to eradicate this phenomenon.”

Israeli Army Chief of Staff General Eyal Zamir echoed Herzog’s stance, stating that the military “will not tolerate a group of criminals tarnishing the image of law-abiding citizens.” He added that such acts contradict Israeli values and “distract our forces from their primary mission.”

The statements come after dozens of masked settlers reportedly raided the Palestinian villages of Beit Lid and Deir Sharaf in the West Bank on Tuesday, setting vehicles and property on fire.

While senior Israeli officials have publicly criticized settler violence, Palestinians and human rights groups accuse the Israeli military and police of ignoring—or even tolerating—these attacks.

The current Israeli government, dominated by far-right factions supportive of settlement expansion, includes Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, responsible for settlement policy, and Interior Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees police forces.