Settlers said to rampage through Palestinian villages after deadly terror shooting

Hours after attack that killed three Israelis in al-Funduq, dozens of settlers reportedly attack vehicles and property there and in surrounding area

By ToI Staff 7 January 2025, 8:40 am Edit
A fire is seen in the West Bank village of Hajja, allegedly after an arson attack by Jewish settlers, January 7, 2025 (X video screenshot; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
A fire is seen in the West Bank village of Hajja, allegedly after an arson attack by Jewish settlers, January 7, 2025 (X video screenshot; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

Israeli settlers rampaged through a number of Palestinian villages in the West Bank Monday, hours after a deadly shooting attack killed three Israelis in the same area, according to multiple reports.

The rights group Yesh Din said in a statement that settlers targeted Palestinian communities including al-Funduq — where the suspects in the shooting attack were from — Hajja, Turmusaya, and Immatain, all located in the same region of the northern West Bank.

Some 100 settlers were said to have marched on communities in the area.

There were no reports of injuries.

Settlers have on numerous occasions in the past avenged terror victims by rioting in Palestinian communities in the area of the attacks.

Footage showed cars attacked by settlers going up in flames.

Initial Hebrew media reports said two cars were burned and the windows were smashed in several homes. However, the violence apparently continued for hours and more damage may have been done.

Reports said that in some locations, Israeli security forces were present in the area of the attacks, but did not intervene.

“Once again, the army is doing nothing to prevent settler violence. This time, too, the writing was on the wall, and notices calling for riots in the villages were distributed publicly among settlers. This is what the Wild West looks like,” Yesh Din said.

Rights groups had publicized messages posted in far-right Israeli social media groups calling on members to join rampages aimed at “erasing al-Funduq.” While the rights groups had called on authorities to take preventative actions, it did not appear that any were taken.

Earlier Monday, two terrorists attacked a car and bus traveling through al-Funduq, killing off-duty police officer Master Sgt. Elad Yaakov Winkelstein, 35, and Rachel Cohen, 73, and Aliza Raiz, 70.

Settler violence against Palestinians has soared since the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, and security forces have been accused of turning a blind eye to the attacks.

Prosecution in such cases is exceedingly rare, leading several Western countries to begin sanctioning Israeli extremists in the West Bank last year.

Meanwhile, High Court justices on Monday impatiently demanded answers for the police’s failure to curb settler violence in the southern West Bank.

The court was reviewing a petition by residents of the Palestinian village of Khirbet Zanuta, who have accused the IDF, the Israel Police, and the Defense Ministry of contempt of court for failing to fulfill court orders to protect them from violence.

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