Israeli President Warns of Civil War Over Settler Violence

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz that escalating settler violence in the occupied West Bank could lead to armed confrontations between settlers and Israeli security forces, potentially igniting a civil war. Herzog described the groups responsible for the attacks as "criminal organizations" operating without restraint and called for their dismantling and a broad arrest campaign, including administrative detentions.

According to the Israeli website "Walla!" on Wednesday, Herzog sent a strongly worded letter to Netanyahu, Katz, and National Security Council Chief Shmuel Ben Ezra on October 8th. The warning was later circulated to senior officials in the IDF General Staff, the Attorney General, and the Foreign Minister. Herzog expressed his deep and urgent duty to warn them, stating, "We are one step away from disaster."

The letter followed a visit Herzog made on September 30th to the IDF's West Bank Division headquarters. There, he received a briefing from its commander, Kobi Heller, and met with security officials, including those involved in responding to events in the village of Jalud days earlier. Herzog revealed that the Jalud incident nearly resulted in Israeli soldiers using live ammunition against settlers or a Border Police officer being killed by a thrown rock.

Herzog characterized the settler attacks as a continuous and increasing wave, involving arson, uprooting trees, throwing stones, and stealing livestock. He noted that the West Bank is witnessing a reality where "everyone does as they please," undermining the rule of law and Israeli state authority. He insisted that these are not isolated incidents but "organized criminal activity by groups and individuals, some well-known to the authorities," adding, "The impression is that we are dealing with criminal organizations in every sense of the word, and we must deal with them as such."

He urged the use of all state tools to dismantle these "criminal organizations" and called for an immediate, comprehensive, and coordinated plan to address settler violence. This plan should include deploying large forces, using deterrent measures, conducting investigations, and carrying out widespread arrests, including administrative detentions. Herzog emphasized that confronting settler violence is a "primary national and official responsibility" and urged swift action, stating, "The faster we move, the better."