Settlers torch IDF site, assault troops; Five illegal outposts demolished amid rising West Bank chaos
Israel’s security forces demolished five illegal outposts in the West Bank on Monday following a surge in violent attacks by extremist settlers against Israeli troops, prompting stark warnings from military leaders about a breakdown in national governance.
The wave of demolitions included the Har Hatzor outpost, where settlers had assaulted IDF soldiers during a violent confrontation on Friday night. In a rare show of force against settler violence, police and civil administration personnel also razed four additional unauthorised sites across the Gush Etzion and Binyamin regions.
The crackdown comes amid rising alarm within the Israeli government over growing radicalisation among settler youths. Over the weekend, radical settlers rioted at the Binyamin Regional Brigade base and torched a military installation. In response, Israel’s Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, warned, “Disaster is at our doorstep.” He added, “We must not allow the development of phenomena that could spiral into anarchy and the breakdown of governance.”
The IDF and Civil Administration have yet to confirm the demolitions officially, but settler activists reported widespread action across southern and central West Bank. Structures were flattened, materials seized, and livestock enclosures removed, including at Mikne Avraham, a farming outpost in Gush Etzion. Other demolitions occurred near the Metzad, Bat Ayin and Shiloh settlements.
Despite the enforcement efforts, three suspects involved in the Har Hatzor violence were released from custody on Monday. A district court rejected a police appeal to extend their detention, a move likely to stir further controversy.
Political leaders from across the spectrum, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, condemned the settler attacks on IDF personnel. “No civilised country can tolerate violent and anarchic acts such as the burning of a military installation, damage to IDF property, and assaults on security personnel by citizens of the state,” Netanyahu declared. He urged law enforcement to act swiftly to bring those responsible to justice.
Defence Minister Israel Katz has called an urgent meeting in response to the violence, which follows a recent settler rampage in a Palestinian village.
The Yesha Council, which represents settlement municipalities, issued a firm denunciation of the attacks. Council head Israel Ganz said he had spoken to police commanders and demanded the perpetrators be charged and jailed. “They need to sit in prison. I expect all resources to be dedicated to this,” he said.
In a public statement, the Yesha Council added, “We fiercely condemn all aggressive actions against IDF soldiers. Any attack or harm [to them] does severe harm to the values of Judaism and the settlements.” The council distanced the broader settler movement from the incidents, saying, “A small group of criminals must not stain the entire settlement project, the settlers, and the wonderful youth who work for the settlements all around the country.”
Netanyahu also sought to protect the reputation of the wider settler community, calling them “a model and an example” of national contribution. “We will not allow a violent and fanatic few to tarnish an entire community,” he wrote.
The events mark one of the most volatile escalations between settlers and the Israeli military in years. With government ministers scrambling for a coherent response and the IDF openly warning of looming chaos, the settler-state relationship has entered a moment of reckoning.
