‘Those responsible will be caught’: Netanyahu, Herzog denounce West Bank settler rampage

The prime minister and president both issue strong condemnations of the rampage by masked settlers who torched homes and cars in a West Bank town tonight, resulting in a Palestinian killed.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says he views the incident “with severity,” but frames the actions as an attempt to fight terror, rather than as terrorism in of itself, saying: “Those who fight terrorism are only the IDF and security forces, not anyone else.”

The PMO adds: “Those responsible for any crime will be caught and prosecuted.”

President Isaac Herzog issues a statement saying he “strongly condemns” the riot.

“This is an extreme minority that harms the law-abiding community of [settlers] and the settlement movement as a whole, in addition to harming the global reputation of Israel during a particularly sensitive and difficult period,” Herzog laments.

“This is not our way and certainly not the way of Torah and Judaism. Law enforcement officials must act immediately against this dangerous phenomenon and bring the lawbreakers to justice.”