Over 100 Israeli settlers attack West Bank village, target military; Herzog condemns

Violence has once again escalated in Jaloud, a village in the northern West Bank. When the Israeli military intervened, it too came under attack from the extremists.

Image: The home of the Tubasi family in Jaloud, West Bank, on September 29. Photo: Ammar Awad/Reuters

Violence by radical Israeli settlers has erupted again in the West Bank. According to media reports, more than 100 extremists were involved in riots near the village of Jaloud, south of Nablus. The Israeli military stated that soldiers and police officers were deployed in an operation against the rioters.

The settlers reportedly attempted to prevent a Palestinian family from returning to their home. The affected Tubasi family had been forced to leave their home in July after repeated harassment—including violent incidents—by settlers. According to the military, their return had been coordinated in advance.

According to the military, the radical settlers blocked roads, set buildings and vehicles on fire, and threw stones at security forces. Three police officers were injured in the process. Two of the rioters were arrested.

According to Palestinian media reports, the attackers also set the Palestinian family's house on fire. A court had previously ruled in favor of the family's lawsuit and ordered the settlers to vacate the house they had occupied. Reports indicate that the Jewish extremists had been harassing the family over an extended period. The Times of Israel reported that the new attack prevented the family's return.

"A Handful of Rioters"

Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the settler attacks, calling them serious acts of violence. He described them as "a moral stain and an attack on the rule of law" and called for them to be punished with the full force of the law.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar also condemned the incident as "serious and abhorrent." He stated that investigations had been launched and that he encouraged investigators to bring the rioters to court. However, according to the human rights organization Yesh Din, the conviction rate for violent settlers is below five percent; in almost all cases, charges are not even filed.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he called for the rioters to be punished with the "full force of the law." At the same time, he referred to a small group of troublemakers who did not represent the "law-abiding settlers" in the West Bank and were causing them great harm. All settlements are illegal under international law.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz also sought to downplay the situation, describing it as "a handful of rioters." He said they were causing "serious damage to security efforts, the settlement enterprise, and the State of Israel." The affected Palestinians were not mentioned.

Military Records 2.4 Attacks Per Day

Image: Normal conditions in the West Bank: A Palestinian next to a car set on fire by settlers. Photo: Mohamad Torokman/Reuters

Settler terror has become the norm in the West Bank. The Israeli military itself records 2.4 attacks per day, while the United Nations records more than double that number. The Israeli state also provides substantial funding to settlements and outposts that are illegal even under Israeli law: €5.3 billion since 2022. Non-governmental organizations criticize that per capita funding in these areas is significantly higher compared to other parts of Israel.

The situation in the occupied West Bank has generally worsened since the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent Gaza war. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed in the area since then during Israeli military operations, armed clashes, and attacks. Meanwhile, violence by radical Palestinians has declined significantly: according to the military, there were 57 terrorist attacks in 2025, compared to 258 in 2024 and 847 in 2023.

(dpa/taz)