Israel's failure to restrain violent Jewish extremists in West Bank reaches new low – analysis

The Israeli defense establishment is facing increasing difficulty in restraining violent Jewish extremists in the West Bank, a problem that has escalated since early 2023. This rise in Jewish extremist violence, including mass attacks on Palestinian towns and assaults on IDF soldiers, is attributed to increased Palestinian terrorism and the influence of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. The latest incident involved multiple IDF attempts to remove Jewish extremists harassing Palestinians and building illegal structures on Palestinian Authority land, with the extremists reportedly throwing rocks at soldiers. The article suggests that Defense Minister Israel Katz's recent actions, such as opposing administrative travel restraining orders for Jewish extremists, may embolden these groups. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's silence on the issue is also noted.