JERUSALEM — Israel’s president and top military commanders on Wednesday denounced a wave of attacks by Jewish settlers on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, calling for an end to what they described as escalating and unacceptable violence.
President Isaac Herzog called the incidents “shocking and serious,” issuing an unusually forceful public rebuke from the largely ceremonial presidency. In a social media post he said the actions of a small number of perpetrators had “crossed a red line” and urged state authorities to act decisively to stop the phenomenon.
Herzog’s remarks, echoed by senior military figures, followed a Tuesday assault in which dozens of masked settlers attacked the Palestinian villages of Beit Lid and Deir Sharaf. Witnesses and local officials said the attackers set fire to vehicles and property before clashing with Israeli soldiers who responded to the scene.
Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said the military “will not tolerate” a minority of criminals who damage the reputation of law‑abiding citizens and emphasized the army’s commitment to stopping violent settler acts, which he said run counter to Israeli values and divert security forces from their main missions. Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, head of the military’s Central Command, warned that confronting what he described as an “anarchist fringe” consumes resources needed for security and counterterrorism.
The army reported that the settlers fled toward a nearby industrial zone and later attacked soldiers, damaging a military vehicle. Police said four Israelis were arrested in connection with the incidents; four Palestinians were wounded, the military said. Authorities later released three of the suspects, while a minor detained on suspicion of arson and assault will remain in custody for six more days as investigations continue. Police stressed investigations aim to bring offenders to justice regardless of background.
The assault is the latest in a series of attacks by young settlers that have risen since the Gaza war began two years ago and have intensified recently during the olive‑harvest season. The U.N. humanitarian office said there were more Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank in October than in any month since it began tracking incidents in 2006, recording more than 260 separate events.
Palestinians and rights groups accuse the Israeli military and police of failing to prevent settler violence and point to a government with strong far‑right influence that they say backs the settler movement. They name figures such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who shapes settlement policy, and Interior and National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir, who has oversight of policing.
Muayyad Shaaban, who leads a Palestinian Authority office that monitors the violence, said attackers torched four dairy trucks, farmland, tin shacks and tents belonging to a Bedouin community. He described the incidents as part of a campaign to drive Palestinians from their land and accused Israeli authorities of providing settlers with protection and impunity, urging sanctions against groups that sponsor or support settlement violence.
Residents of Beit Lid voiced anger and fear after the attack. Mahmoud Edeis said the violence has shattered his sense of security for his family, while Amjad Amer Al‑Juneidi, an employee at a dairy facility that was burned, described the assault as organized: attackers arrived with gasoline cans, used a crowbar to force entry and then ignited the fuel, he said.
Separately, Israel reopened the Zikim crossing into northern Gaza on Wednesday after keeping it closed for two months. The U.N. welcomed the reopening but reiterated that Israel has been too slow to increase humanitarian deliveries since a cease‑fire took effect last month. Aid has been flowing into Gaza since Oct. 10 through two crossings in southern and central parts of the territory.
The Israeli military also reported operations in southern Gaza, saying it killed four armed militants who posed an “immediate threat” in areas under its control. In Khan Younis, troops killed one person who approached forces across the so‑called yellow line, and in Rafah three people were killed while troops worked to destroy cross‑border tunnels.
U.N. officials cautioned that deliveries to Gaza face distribution challenges once supplies arrive, forcing humanitarian groups to stretch available stocks. U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said organizations there continue to struggle with getting aid to people in need. UNICEF warned that demand for baby formula far outstrips current supplies and raised concerns about shortages of syringes for a vaccination campaign that began this month and will continue into January. UNICEF staff warned of potential supply problems as early as next month if Israel does not permit larger shipments.
COGAT, the Israeli agency responsible for coordinating humanitarian aid into Gaza, said in a statement Tuesday that Israel is “fully committed to its obligation to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid trucks in accordance with the (ceasefire) agreement.”
