Rabbi Chaim Navon Condemns Settler Violence, Calls for Firm Action

Rabbi Chaim Navon has strongly condemned the actions of extremist "Hilltop Youth" settlers following clashes in the Palestinian village of Jalud, where three Border Police officers were injured. In a sharp Facebook post on Tuesday, Rabbi Navon described the perpetrators as a "gang of thugs" who attacked security forces. He questioned the audacity of these youths, many of whom do not serve in the IDF, to harm soldiers and dismissed claims that they enhance security in the West Bank.

Rabbi Navon argued that the settlers' perceived deterrence is illusory, comparing them to a mosquito on an elephant claiming credit for the animal's fear. He asserted that the safety of residents in Judea and Samaria relies entirely on the intensive protection provided by the IDF and Border Police, not on the actions of these extremists. He posed a rhetorical question about what would prevent a million Arabs from attacking settlements if not for the military's presence.

He emphasized that these violent individuals represent a small minority within the broader settlement movement. Given their escalating behavior, including attacks on innocent Palestinians and Israeli soldiers, Rabbi Navon called for them to be dealt with "firmly."

Reiterating a previous proposal, he advocated for the reintroduction of administrative detention in extreme cases against the ringleaders of the violence. While acknowledging this measure is anti-liberal, he stated that liberalism is not the supreme value and that certain liberal principles can be curtailed for the sake of national security and the protection of soldiers. He concluded that those who attack soldiers forfeit their right to protection under Western liberal values, which he noted these extremists often preach against.