Israel must confront terror, settler violence with equal resolve - editorial

ByJPOST EDITORIALJULY 27, 2026 05:52Violence in the West Bank is, once again, spiraling in multiple directions.Palestinian terror attacks claimed two Israeli lives and wounded several others. At the same time, extremist Israeli violence once again targeted Palestinian villages, culminating in Sunday’s torching of a mosque in the latest price tag attack.On Thursday, an Israeli man was seriously wounded in a stabbing attack after attempting to extinguish a fire allegedly set by Palestinian residents of the nearby village of Beit Furik.Less than 24 hours later, two Israelis were killed after a group of Israeli civilians illegally entered Palestinian Authority-controlled territory while hiking, prompting IDF and local security forces to come to their aid after they were confronted by local Palestinians.Then, in the early hours of Sunday morning, extremist settlers entered the Palestinian village of Kusra and set fire to a mosque, spraying “revenge for Benayahu” on its entrance – a price tag attack exacting revenge for the murder of Benayahu Melet, an emergency response squad member who was killed while trying to aid the hikers.Family, friends and residents attend the funeral of Benayahu Melet at the Israeli settlement of Havat Gilad in the West Bank, July 24, 2026. (credit: HILEL BEN OR/FLASH90)All violence demands an uncompromising responseThese events are not morally equivalent, but all demand an uncompromising response from Israeli authorities.The full circumstances surrounding Friday’s deadly clashes remain unclear.Terrorism cannot and will never be tolerated or justified. But it is equally legitimate to ask whether stronger enforcement against repeated lawlessness in the West Bank could have prevented the violence from escalating.Israel has both a moral obligation and a legal responsibility to prevent extremist settlers from carrying out price tag attacks.These crimes undermine the rule of law, inflame tensions on the ground, damage Israel’s international standing, and ultimately put both law-abiding Israelis living in the West Bank and the security forces responding to outbreaks of violence at greater risk.These attacks would not occur with such frequency if perpetrators believed there was a genuine risk of arrest and prosecution.In direct response to Friday’s deadly clashes, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered an intensified crackdown across the West Bank, including additional troop deployments, new checkpoints, and expanded counterterrorism operations.These measures may help restore order and prevent further terrorist attacks. But military operations alone cannot address violence that Israeli law enforcement has too often failed to deter.Any effort to restore security in the West Bank must include a serious commitment to confronting Jewish extremist violence alongside Palestinian terrorism.For too long, Israel’s political echelon has been too reluctant to properly condemn and act to suppress settler violence – and we are now bearing witness to the consequences of that reluctance.Over the past several years, Katz has pushed for policies that critics argue weakened Israel’s efforts to restrain Jewish extremist violence, including ending the use of administrative detention against Jewish suspects while maintaining the practice for Palestinian security detainees.Whether one agrees with administrative detention as a tool or not, the message such decisions send about unequal enforcement cannot be ignored. These decisions serve as an informal endorsement of Jewish extremist activity, whether intended or not.Why is Jewish extremist violence treated differently?The issue also extends beyond the West Bank. Allies that readily recognize Israel’s right and obligation to defend its citizens against terrorism increasingly question why Jewish extremist violence appears to be treated differently.Israeli security officials have also repeatedly warned that extremist settler violence constitutes a national security concern. Visiting the scene of Friday’s clashes, Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) Director David Zini urged Israelis not to take revenge into their own hands.We need more of our leaders to say the same.Too often, members of the political echelon have been reluctant to publicly condemn Jewish extremist violence in the West Bank, fearing political backlash from their own supporters.At the same time, Palestinian Authority officials and community leaders in the West Bank must do more to condemn and prevent attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops.Every terrorist attack against Israelis deserves an uncompromising response.So too does every attack carried out by Israelis against innocent Palestinians – attacks that have become increasingly common as extremist settlers have grown more comfortable carrying them out with little apparent fear of consequences.Israel cannot allow political considerations to determine which forms of extremism it confronts. The rule of law must apply equally, or it will steadily erode for everyone.Follow us on Google