Rampages in Israel

By Rachel Max ‘24
    Following the deaths of two Israeli settlers at the hands of a Palestinian gunman this year, the Palestinian town of Huwara in the northern West Bank erupted into violence when a large group of Israeli settlers created what has been referred to as one of, if not the worst, outbursts of settler violence in decades. 

After the death of the two Israelis, a large group of Israeli settlers gathered in Huwara, the site of the shooting, and began a violent retaliation. The rampage caused the death of a 37-year-old man, left 4 people in critical condition and another 100 people needing to be treated for minor injuries such as tear gas inhalation.  At press time the nationality of the injured is unknown.
The violence remained confined to Huwara, but the events were recorded and posted all over social media, including one viral video of crowds of Jewish settlers reciting prayers for the dead as they stared at a burning building.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas made a statement condemning the rampage, which he referred to as, “the terrorist acts carried out by settlers under the protection of the occupation forces,” going on record to say that “we hold the Israeli government fully responsible.”
As of press time, no actions have been taken to punish those responsible or to avoid further violence other than Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plea for the settlers to remain calm in a video statement. “I ask that when blood is boiling and the spirit is hot, do not take the law into your hands,” Netanyahu said. 
Netanyahu’s call for non-violence, however, was not mirrored by his coalition partners, which include hard-right, nationalist, Haredi and Jewish supremacist parties. Following the rampage, Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Jewish supremacist Religious Zionist Party, said, “I think the village of Huwara needs to be wiped out. I think the State of Israel should do it.” Smotrich, who has described himself as a “fascist homophobe,” was a key player in the coalition that formed the current Netanyahu administration, and now serves as Finance Minister.
This rampage was one of many incidents in the West Bank and East Jerusalem this year. In this year alone, around 250 people, both Palestinian and Israeli, have been killed in violent incidents. Due to the constant violence, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry announced that “they reaffirmed the necessity of committing to de-escalation on the ground and to prevent further violence.” The announcement brings some hope for progress or change, but many still have their doubts.
“This is not only a clear violation of human rights by the Israeli settlers, it also shows how the Netanyahu government is actively preparing for future plans to annex the remaining Palestinian Territories,” said sophomore Shayne Cytrynbaum. “In their active encouragement of the illegal settlement building, and their attempts to bypass the Supreme Court with their illegitimate judicial reform plan, the Netanyahu government is converting Israel into exactly the kind of illiberal and militarized state that anti-Zionists deride it as being.”

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