A series of violent attacks by Israeli settlers in the West Bank this week — including the torching of a mosque and an assault on Israeli soldiers — has reportedly now drawn unusually sharp criticism from Israel’s own military leadership and renewed concern from Washington, underscoring the increasingly volatile situation in the territory.
Early Thursday, a mosque in the Palestinian town of Deir Istiya was set ablaze. Photographs shared by the Palestinian religious affairs ministry showed a prayer hall blackened by ash, with windows blown out and Hebrew graffiti spray-painted on the building’s exterior.
The attack followed violence on Tuesday near Nablus, where dozens of masked settlers assaulted Palestinians, set property on fire, and then withdrew to an industrial zone — only to turn on Israeli troops operating there. Four suspects were later arrested, Israel Police said.
The incident spurred a rare chorus of condemnation from senior Israeli officials. Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Israel’s military chief of staff, denounced the attacks “by Israeli citizens against both Palestinians and Israelis,” calling them “a red line that disrupts the mission of his forces.” He vowed, “We are determined to stop this phenomenon and will act decisively until justice is served.”
Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, who commands Israeli forces in the West Bank, echoed that message, labeling the perpetrators “anarchist fringe youth” and calling their actions “unacceptable and extremely serious.” Bluth said troops have been explicitly instructed “to not stand idly by” and to “do everything in your power to prevent any act of nationalist crime.” Graffiti left on the mosque Thursday taunted him directly: “We are not afraid of Avi Bluth.”
The Yesha Council, the main settler organization, issued its own criticism — a notable departure from the more defensive posture such groups often take. Settler leaders insisted that the recent violence is driven by a marginal group of extremists who do not represent the broader movement, which aims to expand Jewish communities in the West Bank and eventually place the territory under full Israeli sovereignty.
Still, the violence is drawing broader scrutiny. The United Nations has warned of a steady rise in settler attacks for nearly a decade, with more than 1,400 incidents this year resulting in casualties or property damage, according to the U.N. humanitarian office, OCHA. October saw a particular spike: 264 attacks, most linked to the olive harvest season, a recurring flashpoint as some settlers attempt to disrupt Palestinian farmers.
Israeli officials have grown increasingly uneasy about the trend. The military remains the central authority overseeing security in the West Bank, home to roughly 3 million Palestinians and about 500,000 Israeli settlers.
While much of the international community views the settlements as unlawful, Israel maintains its security responsibilities amid internal strain, including criticism from a vocal far-right contingent that warns of retaliation when authorities take action against Israeli suspects.
In Washington, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. is monitoring the situation closely. While acknowledging “some concern about events in the West Bank spilling over,” Rubio emphasized that the administration does not expect the unrest to derail ongoing efforts to stabilize the Gaza Strip. “We’ll do everything we can to make sure it doesn’t happen,” he said during a visit to Canada for a Group of Seven meeting.
The latest violence underscores the delicate balance Israel faces in the West Bank — confronting extremist elements within its own population while managing a territory where tensions have been intensifying for years.
[READ MORE: Iran Seizes Cyprus-Registered Tanker Amid Rising Tensions in Strait of Hormuz]
