Netanyahu blames courts for failing to stop settler violence in West Bank

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended his government’s record on tackling violent settlers, claiming the issue has been exaggerated and blaming the Israeli court system for being too lenient with offenders. During an interview with CNN, when asked why the government has not stopped attacks by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, Netanyahu suggested the scale of the problem had been overblown, claiming only around 150 young people were involved in such violence.
When pressed by the interviewer about specific incidents, Netanyahu deflected responsibility towards Israel’s judiciary. He suggested that courts were treating violent settlers with excessive leniency, implying this was the root cause of the continued attacks rather than any governmental inaction. The Prime Minister’s comments reflect a recurring tension between his administration and both international observers and Israeli human rights groups over the handling of settler violence.
When directly asked about a Palestinian-American man who was beaten to death near Ramallah last year, Netanyahu appeared dismissive of the incident. “I’m not sure I’m familiar with that case,” he responded, declining to engage further with the specific allegation. The exchange highlights the disconnect between Netanyahu’s characterisation of settler violence as a minor problem and the documented incidents of serious harm to Palestinian civilians in the occupied territories.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.