Herzog says Israeli politicians have not done all they can to halt settler violence

President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday charged that the political echelon has not done everything it can to halt attacks by extremist Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank, adding that the phenomenon “can be stopped.” Herzog’s visit came over a day after more than 100 Israeli settlers rioted in the West Bank village of Jalud , preventing Israeli forces from enabling the displaced Palestinian Tubasi family from returning to their home. “We are seeing very serious phenomena of nationalist crime,” he said during a visit to the IDF Judea and Samaria Division headquarters, “phenomena that go to the root of our ability to function as a state, undermine our ability to exercise sovereignty and Israel’s rule of law.” “Israel is a democracy, a state governed by the rule of law,” he stressed. “No one can take the law into their own hands. This does great damage to Israel’s good name. It is a stain on its face, and moreover, it first and foremost harms the settlement enterprise.” “This cannot continue,” the president said. “We must give all the tools, and the political echelon must give all the tools, so that this phenomenon stops. There are legal and other means that can be applied so that this phenomenon is halted and curbed, because it is not ours, it does not belong to us, and it is neither Jewish nor Israeli.” Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Newsletter email address Get it By signing up, you agree to the terms Herzog also thanked the IDF and security services for their “relentless war [against terrorism] in Judea and Samaria, a stubborn and determined war.” A Palestinian youth inspects one of several destroyed vehicles following an attack by Israeli settlers, in the Palestinian village of al-Mughayyir, near Ramallah in the West Bank, on September 29, 2026. (Zain JAAFAR/AFP) The president’s comments came a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the perpetrators of the massive overnight attack to be prosecuted “to the fullest extent of the law,” while downplaying the attack as being perpetrated by a “small number” of people. Netanyahu and other ministers have regularly downplayed settler violence as a marginal concern, claiming that nearly all incidents are the work of a few hundred wayward youths, despite attacks taking place on a near-daily basis and occurring in hundreds of villages and towns across the West Bank. Advertisement The army said the attackers in Jalud overnight Monday-Tuesday were “blocking roads, setting tires on fire, and throwing stones at security forces,” injuring three Border Police officers and causing widespread property damage in Jalud. Three suspects had been arrested as of Tuesday afternoon. Settler violence in the West Bank has risen sharply since the Hamas-led onslaught of October 7, 2023, that sparked the war in Gaza. Critics accuse the government of condoning and even encouraging the violence, which has led to the displacement of dozens of Palestinian families. Additionally, 67 civilians and Israeli security personnel have been killed in terror attacks in Israel and the West Bank since October 7. Another eight members of the Israeli security forces were killed in clashes during raids in Palestinian cities in the West Bank. During the same period, more than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers, according to the PA health ministry. The IDF says the vast majority of them were gunmen killed in exchanges of fire, rioters who clashed with troops, or terrorists carrying out attacks. Help us report truthfully on social media As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos. This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world. If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism , please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting. — Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist Support our work Support our work Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this You're a dedicated reader We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month. That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world. So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE , as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members. Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel Join Our Community Join Our Community Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this Most Popular 1 Copilot subdued after stabbing pilot in alleged attempt to crash plane full of Israelis 2 Netanyahu flew to UAE to ask MBZ to deny giving him pre-Oct. 7 warning of Hamas attack – sources 3 More heavy hitters in US Jewish establishment joining J Street in sign of changing times 4 Gazans desperate to leave still struggling to do so, even as Israel claims door is open 5 Op-ed Unprecedented: Extraordinary heroism and near-miraculous circumstances avert an airplane catastrophe 6 Over 100 settlers attack West Bank village, block Palestinian family’s return home 7 Analysis ‘It’s bad’: In a polarized Israel, the likeliest election result is more uncertainty 8 Netanyahu claims indications of attack plot by ‘enemies’ ahead of election; Lapid, briefed, derides him read more: Israel & the Region Isaac Herzog Jewish terrorism IDF Israel Defense Forces attacks on Palestinians West Bank settlements settler violence If you’d like to comment, join The Times of Israel Community. JOIN THE TOI COMMUNITY Already a member? Log in here close popup Sign in or Join The Times of Israel Community Sign in or Register Paying ToI Community members are invited to comment on articles Email address * Please use the following structure: [email protected] Continue Or Continue with By joining you agree to the terms and conditions Send me The Times of Israel Daily Edition back close popup Register to continue Email address * Change REGISTER Or Continue with back close popup Log in to continue Email address * Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.. Continue back close popup Sign in or Join The Times of Israel Community Sign in or Register You are currently registered. Please join The Times of Israel Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits Only ToI Community members can comment below articles Email address * Password * Incorrect password. Please try again or choose an option below. Forgot your password? / Send me a login link Continue Sign in without joining Or Continue with close popup Check your email We sent an email to you at . It has a link that will sign you in. Click the link in that email to complete registration so you can comment. back close popup Join The Times of Israel Community Commenting is available for paying members of The Times of Israel Community only. Please join our Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits. Email address * Please use the following structure: [email protected] JOIN NOW! close popup Thank you! Now check your email You are now a member of The Times of Israel Community! We sent you an email with a login link to . Once you're set up, you can start enjoying Community benefits and commenting.