Since the beginning of Operation Roaring Lion, there have been an average of at least ten instances daily of settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, over 250 in total, according to statistics from NGO Yesh Din.
Moreover, in the week following the death of Yehuda Sherman, an 18-year-old settler killed by a Palestinian driver, violence surged further, with settler riots breaking out in several locations across the West Bank. During that time, settlers - some of whom were uniformed IDF soldiers - shot and killed at least eight Palestinians. According to Yesh Din, none of those settlers were arrested for their actions.
Yesh Din derived its data by cross-referencing published accounts with different publicly available reports.
Hundreds of Diaspora leaders call on Herzog for action against settler violence, Herzog responds with mild support
In response to this phenomenon, Diaspora Jews petitioned Israeli President Isaac Herzog to intervene against settler violence in the West Bank. The letter, published on Thursday, was organized by The London Initiative, a liberal Zionist network founded in 2025.
Diaspora Jews called on Herzog to advocate for change with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right ministers, who have not interceded to stop the violence. The signatories included prominent philanthropists, including Charles Bronfman; liberal rabbis from multiple countries; and former British and Canadian ambassadors to Israel.
Herzog responded directly to the London Initiative on Sunday, agreeing with their sentiment and claiming to have met with security forces, although not mentioning the prime minister.
"In recent weeks, I have spoken with security and law enforcement representatives and have demanded that they employ all available means to bring those responsible to justice and to put an end to this unacceptable phenomenon," Herzog wrote.
He also addressed the impact that settler violence has on Diaspora Jews specifically, adding that "this kind of violence against innocents further plays...into the hands of Israel's detractors, fueling hatred that weakens us as a nation and jeopardizes Jews everywhere."
Zamir warns West Bank settler violence is harming Israel’s security during wartime
The rise in settler violence has also been acknowledged by the IDF at the highest levels, with Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir acknowledged the danger it posed even before the uptick following Sherman's death.
“Anyone who thinks these actions help security is mistaken. They are morally and ethically wrong, and they create extraordinary strategic damage to the IDF’s efforts," he said. “Anyone who thinks these actions help security is mistaken. They are morally and ethically wrong, and they create extraordinary strategic damage to the IDF’s efforts," Zamir said in a statement on March 18 - two days before Sherman was killed.
“It cannot be that during a multi-front war, the IDF is forced to contend with a threatening minority from within,” he said, referring to settler extremists. “These are rioters who do not represent the settlement movement. On the contrary, they endanger the settlement enterprise, security stability, and our values as a people and as a state.”
Philissa Cramer/JTA contributed to this report.