President Isaac Herzog condemned the "revenge" attacks carried out by Israeli settlers against West Bank Palestinians in the wake of the Eli terror attack, as well as the rise in violent discourse across Israeli society while speaking at the Shin Bet Honors Ceremony on Monday afternoon.
"I have noted a significant increase in the violent discourse in Israeli public life since the end of talks at the president's house," he began, adding that he "fears that this aggression will deteriorate into physical violence, potentially leading to bloodshed."
Later in his speech, the president condemned both the Eli terror attack, saying that it was an act of "brutal terrorism that claimed beloved victims from us," as well as the settler violence and riots, which he referred to as "violent, brutal, and unbridled."
Herzog's response to Minister Struck's criticism
In further discussion, Herzog referred to this morning's comments of National Missions Minister Orit Struck from the Religious Zionism party, who criticized IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, and Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai in a radio interview.
Her criticism, in which she compared Israel's security heads to Russia's Wagner Group, came in response to their joint statement condemning settler attacks as being counter to moral and Jewish values and classifying them as nationalist terrorism. Minister Struck has since issued an apology.
Herzog voiced his support for the security leaders' statements and criticized Struck's words. He called on public figures to behave fairly towards those working to maintain Israel's security. "The reckless abuse of the security forces and their commanders cannot be tolerated as part of the daily routine. We, all of us, must denounce it firmly," Herzog declared.
The President's comments came in light of a recent incident where dozens of settlers entered the village of Umm Safa near Ramallah on Saturday and set fire to vehicles and homes. Clashes ensued between the settlers and several Palestinians, involving stone-throwing. In the aftermath, a soldier was lightly injured and taken to the hospital. The joint statement from the Chief of Staff, the head of the Shin Bet, and the Police Commissioner emphasized that this violence escalates Palestinian terror and harms the State of Israel.
Responses to the settler attacks
In response to the clashes, Yair Lapid, the head of the opposition, declared the settler violence as having "crossed every line," further labeling it as a "moral disgrace and a national security threat." He urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to condemn this travesty with utmost urgency.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also expressed his condemnation of the violence. He was echoed by German Ambassador in Israel Steffen Seibert, who insisted that recent terror attacks cannot serve as an excuse for settler violence. Seibert underlined Israel's responsibility to safeguard the life and security of all inhabitants of the occupied territories.
According to the Umm Safa Council head, the incident resulted in four houses and 20 vehicles being set on fire, with an additional 15 houses also damaged.