Emergency meeting called Radical settlers attack Israel's military in the West Bank
Soldiers are attacked, vehicles destroyed: radical Jewish settlers attack Israel's military. The authorities hold an emergency meeting. Even the right-wing hardliner Ben-Gvir distances himself for once.
30.06.2025, 22:08
dpa
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- On the night of Monday, June 30, radical Jewish settlers rioted at an Israeli military base in the West Bank and attacked soldiers.
- Israel's defence minister, the opposition and even the far-right security minister have criticized the action.
- An emergency meeting has been scheduled.
- Violence by radical settlers is on the rise.
Dozens of Israeli settlers have gone on the rampage near a military base in the occupied West Bank.
The settlers set fires, destroyed military vehicles, sprayed graffiti and attacked soldiers, according to the armed forces. Even before last night's unrest, settlers had attacked Palestinians in the West Bank; the security forces arrested several of them.
"No civilized country can tolerate violent and anarchic acts such as the burning of military facilities, damage to military property and attacks on security personnel by citizens of the country," said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"Soldiers are our brothers, sons and protectors"
The far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has sided with the Orthodox attackers in similar cases in the past, also condemned the violence yesterday.
"Attacks on security forces, security facilities and soldiers, who are our brothers, sons and protectors, are a red line and must be punished with all severity," he wrote on Platform X. "We are brothers."
Ben-Gvir is a staunch supporter of settlements in the West Bank and has already been convicted in Israel of incitement and supporting terror groups; he has called for the deportation of all Arab citizens from Israel.
Israeli media showed footage of dozens of young men, apparently members of an extremist movement of Israeli settlers, occupying hills in the West Bank and accused of attacking Palestinians and their property.
Katz holds emergency meeting
The images showed security forces using stun grenades as dozens of settlers gather around the military base north of Ramallah. The Israeli armed forces published photos of the damage. According to the military, this also included systems used to defend against terrorist attacks.
Defense Minister Israel Katz announced today that he would put an end to the violence. He called on the extremist settlers to remember that many of the security forces are exhausted reservists. Katz has called an emergency meeting on the violence. Representatives of all security bodies should attend, Katz's office announced.
Commenting on the attack by settlers on Israeli security forces, Katz said: "This phenomenon must be stopped immediately. We will use all necessary means to eradicate this violence at its roots - no one will dare lay a hand on Israeli army soldiers or security forces."
Opposition leader Jair Lapid told Israeli Army Radio that the riots were committed by "Jewish terrorists, gangs of criminals who feel supported by the (government) coalition".
Three dead after attack on Kfar Malik
More than 100 settlers invaded the West Bank town of Kfar Malik on Wednesday night, June 25, setting fires and shooting at Palestinians, said Najeb Rostom, head of the local council. Three Palestinians were killed after the military intervened. Israeli security forces arrested five settlers.
Since the beginning of the Gaza war between Israel and the militant Islamist Hamas, Palestinians in the West Bank have reported a significant increase in Israeli checkpoints in the area. Israel claims that threats against its citizens from the West Bank are increasing.
Israel conquered the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War; the Palestinians claim all three territories for their future state. Around three million Palestinians and 500,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank. The international community overwhelmingly considers the settlements to be illegal.
