‘Live fire against Jews is forbidden’: Smotrich slams IDF for its handling of settler attack on soldiers

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who is also a minister within the Defense Ministry, criticizes IDF soldiers for using live fire while defending themselves against a group of rioting settlers in the West Bank on Friday night.

The throngs of rioting settlers had attacked troops, including a high-ranking officer, at the Palestinian village of Kafr Malik near Ramallah, after the forces arrived there to prevent them from attacking the village. During the incident, soldiers responded to a group of some 30 settlers throwing stones at them by firing into the air.

In a post on X, Smotrich condemns the settler attack, saying that “anyone who harms IDF soldiers is fighting against the settlements, not for them,” but also criticizes the IDF for its response.

“The IDF’s live fire against Jews is a forbidden and dangerous crossing of a red line which requires an in-depth investigation,” the far-right Religious Zionism leader writes.

“The incident must be investigated independently and thoroughly,” he adds. “Lessons must be learned, and those responsible must be held accountable.”