Israel army chief vows to stop settler attacks in West Bank
Israel’s military chief on Wednesday pledged to halt settler violence in the occupied West Bank, following a wave of attacks targeting Palestinians in the territory.
On Tuesday, Israel’s police and military said security forces had arrested several Israeli settlers after clashes near the West Bank city of Tulkarem, during which Palestinians were injured and property destroyed.
The military said it dispatched troops after “masked Israeli civilians… attacked Palestinians and set fire to property in the area,” adding that four injured Palestinians were evacuated for medical treatment.
“We are aware of the recent violent incidents in which Israeli civilians attacked Palestinians and Israelis. I strongly condemn them,” army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said, in a statement issued by the military.
Zamir said the military “will not tolerate criminal behavior by a small minority that tarnishes the law-abiding public.”
“These acts contradict our values, cross a red line, and divert the attention of our troops from their mission,” he warned.
“We are determined to stop this phenomenon and will act decisively until justice is served.”
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, and more than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements in the Palestinian territory.
A minority of these Israelis engage in violence against Palestinians, who complain that Israeli forces usually do not arrest settlers.
All settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law.
The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that October 2025 was the worst month for settler violence since it began recording in 2006, with 264 attacks that caused casualties or property damage.
Almost none of the perpetrators have been held to account by the Israeli authorities.
Zamir said that troops were operating “to prevent threats and harm to residents of the area.”
“We operate according to a clear principle: terrorism only meets the army… we are the defensive barrier between the terrorist organizations and Israel’s civilians,” he said.
Violence has surged across the West Bank since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023.
At least 1,003 Palestinians, including militants, have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers since the war started, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
During the same period, 43 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks in the West Bank, according to official Israeli figures.
