Shocking Israeli report: “They are not a handful, but monsters.” Settlers lead displacement terrorism in the West Bank

Tel Aviv - Ofoq News - “They are not a handful, but between 300 and 500 settlers who are like monsters.” This is how Israeli military officials described the organized terrorism led by the Netanyahu government against the Palestinians in the West Bank.

A high-ranking security official strongly attacks these settlers, saying: “These are planned invasions aimed at carrying out deportations.”

He criticizes ministers and Knesset members who "provide support" and judges who "do not realize the magnitude of the event."

The Israeli military establishment warns of a sharp and continuing escalation in national crimes against Palestinians in the West Bank, in a trend it describes as dangerous and disturbing.

A source in the security establishment reported, according to Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, that the matter is not related to a small group, saying: “This is not a handful, and whoever says it is a handful simply does not want to solve the problem, just like someone who claims that the entire settlement is like this.” He added that the talk was about a solid core that included between 300 and 500 young men, whom he described as being like ferocious beasts.

According to data from the military establishment published for the first time, the period since the beginning of the war has witnessed a sharp increase in the number of incidents, as about 800 national crimes carried out by settlers were recorded during the year 2025, compared to more than 950 incidents from the beginning of 2026 until the beginning of October.

The number recorded this year is close to the peak of 2023, which witnessed 980 crimes occurring throughout the year.

An Israeli security source says: “These are criminals in every sense of the word, savage creatures who burn homes to their residents. If in the past they justified their actions as a reaction to attacks as ‘payment’ operations, today the ‘tactic’ has completely changed as these are pre-emptive incursions aimed at carrying out deportations.”

Last month, Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth newspapers revealed Netanyahu's order to evacuate all settlement outposts within Areas A and B, but according to military sources, these settlers are acting in flagrant violation of this directive, as they have established settlement outposts in Areas A and B. Worse still, the security establishment is highly critical of the political support the settlers receive: “There are members of the Knesset and ministers who come to visit the territories and give them full support.”

What confirms this approach is what Netanyahu revealed yesterday while he and members of his government were standing on the outskirts of Tulkarm Governorate, and he declared publicly and braggedly: “I built 112 new settlements in the West Bank.”

The Israeli army confirms that the limited tools for gathering intelligence information hinder dealing with settler attacks, compared to the tools used against the Palestinians.

A military source explains: “It is important to understand that in confronting the Palestinians, we use all available tools, from 16-M to 16-F, and collect in-depth intelligence information. In contrast, the Israeli army is prohibited from collecting intelligence information, and therefore the tools available to it in confronting settler terrorism are very limited.”

The military establishment calls for expanding awareness, media, economic, and legal measures, including confiscating vehicles, imposing fines and compensation, and tightening legal procedures.

The Israeli army also criticizes the judicial system, saying: “There are judges who do not realize the extent of the disaster and release these boys who committed serious crimes such as attacking army forces or violating orders, while on the other hand, there are other judges who punish them severely.”

The Israeli army calls for the allocation of additional specialized forces to deal with this complex task, while at the same time explaining that the Shin Bet now uses tools that were not available before.

Military sources say: “The head of the Shin Bet behaves with great skill, and carries out very elaborate foiling operations, things that did not exist before, and are difficult to enumerate.”

But at the same time, it raises an important question about the financing of this phenomenon, and addresses the legal system: “These reckless young people are collecting money, so why is this work not classified as illegal fundraising?”

Regarding the issue of administrative detentions, a high-ranking security source explained: “I will not go into the issue of whether they are good or not. There are directives and we are acting according to them. But on the ground, there is a feeling that these settlers feel safe from any accountability.” The same source added, explaining that "attempts were made to cancel administrative detention orders, but that did not happen in the end despite intense pressure."

The Israeli security apparatus warns that settler crimes may cause strategic damage to Israel and threaten security and settlement achievements, in addition to mounting criticism within the United States and pressures that may lead to the loss of settlement gains achieved in recent years.

Although settlement council leaders acknowledge the criticism directed at them, they call on law enforcement agencies to pursue extremists and remove them from the West Bank, fearing that the campaign to delegitimize Israel will expand and harm the settlement project.