Settler violence turns inward: IOF attacked, security post burned
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Settler violence mainly aimed at Palestinians has now targeted the IOF, with rioters torching a military post and assaulting soldiers in the occupied West Bank.
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IOF soldiers patrol a street during a raid in the West Bank refugee camp of Nur Shams on Thursday, August 29, 2024. (AP)
Dozens of Israeli settlers torched a security site and clashed with the Israeli army in the occupied West Bank late Sunday, deepening a growing internal rift within "Israel" amid rising settler violence against Palestinians.
Settler violence against Palestinians across the West Bank occurs almost daily, typically without consequence; suspects are seldom arrested, and prosecutions are even rarer. The pattern has drawn increasing international condemnation and led to growing sanctions by Western nations.
The unrest comes just days after settlers physically assaulted a senior Israeli army officer near the village of Kafr Malik, with the attack culminating in multiple coordinated attacks against Israeli forces and infrastructure, as per Israeli media.
Israeli settlers set fire overnight to a high-value security facility in the Ramallah area of the #WestBank that was used to "thwart terror attacks and maintain security," the IOF said.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 30, 2025
The military stated that the destruction of the site "poses a danger to the security of the… pic.twitter.com/fZhuYCSeK0
Settlers gathered outside the Binyamin Regional Brigade base, some carrying a banner accusing the battalion commander of treason. They hurled rocks, sprayed mace, and slashed army vehicle tires in an attempt to storm the base. The Israeli army responded with stun grenades to disperse the crowd, but no arrests were made, Israeli media reported.
Separately, settlers set fire to a security facility near Ramallah, which the Israeli military said was used to “thwart terror attacks and maintain security.” Despite the severity of the attack, the Shin Bet has yet to announce any arrests, as per the Israeli media.
In a rare statement, the Israeli army condemned the settler violence, “The IDF condemns any act of violence against security forces... and expects security forces to bring to justice Israeli civilians who harm security personnel.”
Settlers riot and walk free; Palestinians face bullets for existing
Tensions flared days earlier in Kafr Malik, where settlers sought to re-establish an illegal outpost on Palestinian land. At the time, Israeli occupation forces killed three Palestinians. Meanwhile, around 70 settlers ambushed military personnel, physically assaulting soldiers, including a battalion commander, and slashing police vehicle tires. Riot control measures were used, but no live ammunition was fired, and only six settlers were detained, as per Israeli media.
Roughly two hours later, another violent confrontation unfolded when a masked group of settlers ambushed an Israeli military patrol about six kilometers away. Believing the attackers were Palestinians, the commanding officer immediately fired live shots.
Had the individuals indeed been Palestinian, they would likely have been shot dead on the spot. It was only upon realizing the perpetrators were settlers that the officer held back, laying bare the selective, often lethal, rules of engagement that dictate who lives and who dies in the occupied West Bank.
Upon realizing they were Israeli settlers, he attempted arrests but faced threats and verbal abuse, including one settler yelling: “I’ll shoot you in the head, you son of a w****.” The settlers then fled.
Roughly 30 minutes later, a 14-year-old settler arrived at a military post with a bullet wound, Israeli media reported. The settlers accompanying him refused to explain how he was injured. While unconfirmed, the Israeli army noted the officer acted “completely according to protocol,” raising questions about the use of live ammunition and the assumptions guiding engagement.
A senior officer commented bluntly, “If a person who threatens our forces is hit, it’s his problem. What is a 14-year-old boy doing masked and throwing stones at an army patrol?”
Wider context
Although some members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition openly back extremist settlers, the latest incident drew rare condemnations by Israelis.
These violent incidents highlight a growing fracture within the settler community and military establishment in "Israel". While settler violence against Palestinians is frequent and often ignored, direct attacks on Israeli soldiers have pushed the military to respond more forcefully, albeit still without arrests or serious consequences.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a staunch supporter of the settler movement, who had earlier criticized the army’s use of live fire, said the settlers had crossed a red line, “Criminals are criminals are criminals in every place in the country.” However, others in the ruling coalition downplayed the attacks. Likud MK Avihai Boaron described the assailants as “marginalized youth,” claiming, “A rock is a rock, but the throwing hand is not the same throwing hand.”
Security Minister Israel Katz last year ended administrative detention for settlers, a policy that remains in place for Palestinians. Meanwhile, the head of the Israeli police’s West Bank division is under investigation for ignoring settler violence to curry favor with Police Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, yet he continues to serve in his post.
