US Ambassador Clarifies Remarks on Jewish Extremists After Controversy Over 'Terrorists' Label

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Herzog issued a clarification on Thursday following his earlier harsh comments in which he labeled extremist Jews who besieged a Palestinian family in Kuseira as "Israeli terrorists." In his new statement, Herzog distinguished between these extremists and the broader settler community in the West Bank, emphasizing that "settlers" are not the problem, but rather a "very small minority" he called "unsettlers" who cause significant harm to Palestinian families and Israel. He praised genuine settlers like Israel Gantz, the West Bank governor, who condemn the actions of this minority.

The ambassador urged the media to also highlight condemnations from settlement leadership to provide balanced coverage. Herzog’s initial remarks came earlier in the day when he said Israeli security forces intervened at the US Embassy’s request to remove the extremists, describing their actions as criminal and intended to intimidate the Palestinian family. He rejected claims that the US Embassy in Jerusalem was uninvolved, stating that Washington had been updated on the situation.

Herzog condemned the violent behavior as unacceptable and reiterated that his criticism targets only the small extremist faction, not the entire settler population. This clarification follows a sensitive diplomatic moment amid ongoing tensions in the West Bank involving settler-Palestinian confrontations.