Jewish Terrorists are Rioting Across Judea and Samaria and Setting up Illegal Outposts

On Friday a group of Jewish terrorists (hilltop) in the village of Tell in Judea and Samaria, where some were well underage and accompanied by armed adults — raided the town, claiming they were on a "hike." The IDF clarified that it was an illegal raid into Palestinian Area A and was not coordinated with the military and that Israelis are barred from entry into Areas A and B. The result was a private security member from the settlement of Khavat Gil'ad had his M4 rifle taken by Palestinian villagers and the man, Benayahu Mellet, was killed along with Major Yuval Ezra, an IDF officer who was dispatched to the scene. A platoon commander who arrived on site with Major Ezra managed to kill the Palestinian who had taken Mellet's rifle. Three other Palestinians were killed in the gunfight. At the same time two Israelis were seriously injured and four other Palestinians received critical injuries.

Since that incident, Jewish terrorists have been violently attacking civilians across the occupied territory. They have also reportedly set up four new illegal outposts. At the same time, Hamas is trying to insert themselves in the situation and claim credit for resisting the settlers, in a cynical attempt to distract from their crippling defeat in Gaza and resulting loss of credibility. Hamas is also trying to spark an uprising, or Third Intifada, in Judea and Samaria. The latest violence follows months and months of near daily attacks on Palestinian civilians in Judea and Samaria by increasingly brazen Jewish settlers, who are known as hilltop youth. Settler groups are seizing on the outburst of violence they started and calling for violent retribution.

I am of the opinion that these settler groups and Hamas are two peas in a pod, dependent on one another for credibility and having a reason to exist. A significant problem is that Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir openly supports and encourages the Jewish terrorists known as hilltop youth. He famously hung a poster of mass murderer Baruch Goldstein on his wall for decades and it's assumed by many that the hilltop youth are his personal goon squad.

Meanwhile, Israeli Army Radio reports that the IDF has identified four new illegal outposts in the area, including one near the site of the initial clash outside the village of Tell, which is adjacent to the Northern Palestinian city of Nablus. Prime Minister Netanyahu, widely unpopular and expected to face electoral defeat in November, seized upon the incident to say he would accelerate approval of new settlements, as well as order the destruction of the homes belonging to families of the Palestinians who were killed.

I am of the opinion that this is part of a rapidly devolving situation in Judea and Samaria that poses a grave and existential threat to Israel. The bottom line IMHO is that if the Jewish terrorists (hilltop youth) who no longer hide in the shadows aren't stopped, along with any and all new settlements, in five years (or less) Israel will be a pariah state. These miscreants are delegitimizing the Jewish nation before the eyes of the world and are so much more than obnoxious criminals. Their actions are escalating, done in broad daylight and met with impunity, while the IDF and police more often than not arrest their victims. This all flies in the face of the egalitarian goals of Zionism and Jewish law, which IMOH means human nature is to do good, Jews are to be a light of goodwill upon the world and to honor our covenant with G-d by upholding that which is just and righteous.

Now I realize that Kahanists and their supporters don't even recognize that Jews living in Judea and Samaria are settlers, despite far-right messianic fanatic Orit Strook being Minister of Settlements in the current government, but that is a problematic view, IMO. At the same time there are several claims being made about what sparked the uncoordinated entry of extremist settlers into areas not authorized, ranging from an innocent hike, to allegations that Palestinians have been trapping and holding their dogs and they were on a mission to retrieve said dogs. I won't comment of the veracity of either claim.

There are also claims that the Palestinian attack was ordered by Hamas and that ensuing riots across the territory by Jewish settlers are in fact in self defense. Once again, I cannot or will not comment on the veracity of such claims. Reports include rampages through Palestinian communities, random cars being shot at and stopped and little resistance from the civilian population in towns being attacked.

I'm curious what other readers think of this situation, the narratives being broadcast by Israeli media, Arab media, and the claims of various groups. I feel I have been open about my own opinion regarding what I see as a rapidly devolving security situation that poses little threat to most Israelis at the moment, but serves to delegitimize and sideline Israel in the eyes of the world. Israel may be resilient, but without broad support from Western nations, resisting the anger of over 500 million citizens of Arab countries surving a tiny nation of only 10 million people will become untenable, IMO.