Herzog Responds to International Criticism on Settler Violence

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has called on the European Union to implement new measures against Israel due to a surge in violence by Israeli extremists in Judea and Samaria. Barrot stated that the ongoing violence threatens the establishment of a Palestinian state and reiterated his call to ban products from Israeli settlements from entering the European market. He described the violence, provoked by extremist settlers, as an unacceptable affront to Palestinian dignity and a threat to the two-state solution.

Barrot's remarks follow previous calls from France to restrict trade with Israeli settlements. He also criticized the Israeli leadership's condemnation of the violence as insufficient, demanding concrete actions. Simultaneously, Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressed the accusations in an interview with CNN, asserting that Israeli authorities are making significant efforts to combat violence in Judea and Samaria and that perpetrators will be arrested and brought to justice. He noted that approximately 10 to 12 individuals had been arrested recently.

Herzog drew a parallel to urban violence in American cities, emphasizing that serious efforts are underway to address the issue in Judea and Samaria, with the cooperation of the Shin Bet and other security agencies. He acknowledged that the Israeli government bears responsibility and must give this matter its utmost attention. In his interview, Herzog also responded to CNN journalist Bianna Golodryga's question about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's previous statement that the judicial system was too lenient with perpetrators. Herzog stated that while the violence is a "stain on Israel's face," he would not solely blame the judges, emphasizing the need for robust action from the police, army, prosecution, and the courts.

Herzog also referenced Prime Minister Netanyahu's recent characterization of the settler violence as a "cancerous tumor," expressing hope for a tough response to combat this dangerous phenomenon.