Israeli President Isaac Herzog and other top officials condemned an outbreak of Israeli settler violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
On Tuesday, a mob of Israeli settlers descended upon an industrial area of the Palestinian town of Beit Lid, setting fire to vehicles, factories, and farmland, as well as attacking residents.
“The harsh events that took place this evening in the Shomron by a handful of violent and dangerous individuals are shocking and serious,” Herzog said. “Such violence against civilians and against IDF soldiers crosses a red line and I condemn it severely.”
“Shomron,” sometimes rendered as “Samaria,” is a term used by Israelis to refer to regions of the West Bank historically tied to the biblical nation of Israel.
Herzog added, “All state authorities must act decisively to eradicate the phenomenon and to strengthen the IDF fighters and security forces who protect us day and night.”
The mob was captured on surveillance video, showing dozens of settlers donning black face masks to conceal their identity, with many brandishing clubs and other blunt weapons.
Four Palestinians were injured in the attack.
Footage published by Palestinian news outlets shows the mob setting fire to trucks, metal sheds, tents, and other infrastructure. The Bedouin village of Deir Sharaf and the Al-Juneidi dairy factory were also targeted.
The Israel Defense Forces were dispatched to confront the mob through “riot dispersal means,” causing the attackers to flee.
The military later clashed with the mob again at the nearby Baron Industrial Zone, where IDF members were attacked and military vehicles’ tires were punctured.
The IDF arrested four rioters, but three of those suspects have already been released from custody.
The IDF chief also released a statement condemning the violence, blaming the attacks on a “criminal minority” that harms the reputation of fellow Israelis.
“We are aware of the recent violent incidents in which Israeli civilians attacked Palestinians and Israelis,” Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, IDF chief of staff, said in a statement following the reports. “I strongly condemn them. The IDF will not tolerate phenomena of a criminal minority that stains a law-abiding public.”
“These are acts that contradict our values. They cross a red line and divert the attention of our forces from fulfilling their mission, defending the communities, and conducting offensive operations,” Zamir continued. “We are determined to stop this phenomenon and will act on this matter severely until justice is done.”
Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, Central Command chief, blamed the attack on “anarchist fringe youth” who “must be dealt with firmly.”
The attack on Beit Lid is far from an isolated occurrence. International bodies have said the rate of Israeli-led violence against Palestinian communities has spiked in recent months, with humanitarian groups adding that the Israeli government and IDF are not doing enough to prevent the trend.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said October 2025 had “the highest monthly number of Israeli settler attacks since OCHA began documenting such incidents in 2006.”
The U.N. office said an average of eight incidents a day, totaling over 260 attacks in October, resulted in “casualties, property damage or both.”
The OCHA reported, “The surge in October continues a steady upward trend observed throughout the year, with approximately 1,485 settler attacks documented since January 2025, including 172 incidents resulting in casualties, 1,129 causing property damage, and 184 involving both casualties and property damage.”
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was traveling to France to meet with President Emmanuel Macron in Paris during the attack.
The two leaders announced on Wednesday their mutual efforts to “establish a joint committee for the consolidation of the state of Palestine,” a body that would primarily focus on reviewing a proposed constitution for Palestinian territories.
France recognized a Palestinian sovereign state at the United Nations in September, alongside a number of other European countries, including Belgium and the United Kingdom.
During his meeting with Abbas, Macron warned that Israeli settler violence has reached intolerable levels and threatened to take action if Israel attempted to annex the West Bank.
“Plans for partial or total annexation, whether legal or de facto, constitute a red line to which we will respond strongly with our European partners,” Macron said.
“The violence of the settlers and the acceleration of settlement projects are reaching new heights, threatening the stability of the West Bank and constitute violations of international law,” Macron added.
While not taking place in Gaza, the West Bank violence contributes to an air of fragility regarding the Israel-Hamas ceasefire brokered by President Donald Trump.
The peace deal was intended to halt all hostilities between Israel and Hamas, but smatterings of violence have continued despite the ostensible armistice.
Jared Kushner, son-in-law of Trump, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel earlier this week to discuss the transition from Phase I of the peace plan to Phase II.
With the bodies of only four deceased Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza, the United States and Israel are preparing for the disarmament of Hamas as part of the second phase — an initiative Trump has said he is willing to complete by force if necessary.
Trump has also requested Herzog to pardon Netanyahu of the crimes he is accused of committing.
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On Wednesday, Herzog acknowledged that he received the request via an official letter from Trump, who has said the charges made against Netanyahu are a cynical political move.
He has repeatedly urged Herzog to pardon Netanyahu, most notably during his October speech before the Knesset.