The government must take action against Jewish extremist violence - editorial

• Author: JPOST EDITORIAL
• Published date: 02 October 2021
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

During the raid, which in its description sounded more like a pogrom, dozens of settler youth, many shirtless with T-shirts wrapped around their faces like masks, allegedly threw stones at the villagers, their homes and cars, uprooted tree saplings and stabbed sheep.

Why? There was no reason. They did so because that it was these violent criminal youth often do in the area of the Southern Hebron Hills where there is anarchy, lawlessness and violence.

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About a dozen Palestinians were injured including a couple of young children who sustained injuries requiring hospitalization.

Police arrested six Israelis. One of the suspects was released with restrictions, and all the others remained over the weekend in custody. Three of the suspects are scheduled to be released this coming week.

In one of the more disturbing images from the scene, an IDF soldier is seen standing among the group of masked Jewish attackers as they hurl stones toward the village residents. The soldier doesn't do anything.

According to the left-wing group B'Tselem, the attackers "invaded Palestinian homes, smashed windows, and caused massive damage to equipment, including many vehicles."

When Border Police and IDF soldiers finally decided to intervene, it seemed from the footage and eyewitness accounts that their actions were mostly directed against the Palestinians who were being attacked, and not against the Jewish settler youth who were attacking.

The world was quick to condemn the incident but less so Israeli politicians.

"The US government strongly condemns the acts of settler violence that took place against Palestinians in villages near Hebron in the West Bank on September 28," a US Embassy spokesperson said on Friday.

In his briefing to the council, UN Special Coordinator to the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland also condemned settler violence.

"I am deeply concerned by the continued settler-related violence," Wennesland said, explaining that Israel "has an obligation to ensure the safety and security of the Palestinian population and to investigate such attacks."

He added that there were reports of "armed settlers carrying out attacks against Palestinians in proximity to Israel security forces."

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid...