Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday condemned “the recent surge of violence by extremist elements in Judea and Samaria,” urging law enforcement to act decisively.
In a letter to The London Initiative—a network of Jewish and Israeli leaders from around the world whose appeal has drawn more than 3,000 signatures—Herzog stated that “these acts of violence stand in stark contradiction to the values upon which Israel was founded and to the enduring ethical tradition of the Jewish people.”
He called on Israeli authorities to “employ all available means to bring those responsible to justice and to put an immediate end to this unacceptable phenomenon.”
“On the eve of Passover, we are reminded that Moses’ first act of leadership was a moral one—standing up for justice in the face of violence against the innocent,” Herzog wrote. “Safeguarding this core value is our unequivocal duty at this critical hour.”
The American Jewish Committee also condemned the violence, stating that the organization “has consistently and unequivocally condemned violent attacks targeting both Israelis and Palestinians that have plagued the West Bank for far too long.”
“Accountability is essential,” AJC wrote.
Recent months have seen a rise in settler-related attacks in the territory, with Israeli officials and international observers warning of escalating incidents and limited enforcement in some cases.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee welcomed Herzog’s statement, distinguishing the broader settler population and those involved in violence.
“These criminal acts are not by settlers. They’re ‘unsettlers,’” he wrote. “Those who steal, vandalize and injure others are terrorists.”
