Israel’s “Government of Lawlessness” Urged Settlers to Escalate Violence in the West Bank
Israeli settlers attack Duma village as military and political leaders face mounting criticism over inaction and complicity
Watan-Settler violence in the West Bank has grown more brazen in recent weeks. The latest victims are the residents of the village of Duma. On Tuesday evening, dozens of settlers stormed the village, setting vehicles and buildings on fire. The timing of the attack was symbolic: in early April last year, settlers raided Duma and the neighboring village of Al-Mughayyir, torching numerous properties, throwing stones, and firing at residents.
This came in the aftermath of the killing of the teenager Binyamin Ahimeir. During those events, a resident of Al-Mughayyir was killed by gunfire. No one was prosecuted at the time for participating in the riots. During those events, Yedioth Ahronoth photographer Shaul Golan was assaulted by settlers, and no indictment has been filed to this day.
State Backing of Settler Violence Since Far-Right Government’s Rise
Since the formation of the far-right government, the perpetrators of these attacks have been receiving a clear message: continue. This message is being conveyed by the police and army, who do not arrest rioters in real time, with the complicity of soldiers participating in the expulsion of shepherds across the West Bank.
It is also enabled by Defense Minister Israel Katz, who has frozen the distribution of administrative detention orders. Supporting this is National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who has rallied behind Jewish security prisoners and weakened the “Shai” District Police.
Army Impunity and Settler Violence Deepen West Bank Chaos
During the tenure of Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, the military’s response became even weaker: the army distributed weapons to settlers, recruited and armed extremists among them, allowed them to abuse their Palestinian neighbors, and failed to address soldiers’ participation in violent incidents. The result has been total lawlessness.
The attack in Duma is a continuation of what happened less than a week ago in Jinba: a settler assault escalated into a retaliatory campaign by soldiers against village residents. The response of the new Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir — who traveled to the area to investigate the incident — may indicate a shift in approach.
Indeed, the disciplinary measures taken against some of the soldiers involved — reprimands for the brigade, battalion, and company commanders, the dismissal of an officer, and the imprisonment of soldiers — while not commensurate with the gravity of the situation, suggest a positive direction.
However, the Chief of Staff must also address deeper issues: the handling of rogue regional defense battalions, the recovery of weapons hastily distributed, and not stopping at disciplinary action among commanders but launching swift and effective military police investigations.
Above all stands the core problem: a government of aggressors that promotes occupation, dispossession, and apartheid — a government of Jewish supremacy that encourages violence against Palestinians, tarnishes Israel’s image, and eliminates any prospect for a shared future in this region.
