During a session at the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant strongly advocated against the use of the term “settler violence,” dismissing it as a misleading and baseless expression. Gallant urged for the abandonment of this colloquial phrase, asserting that acts of violence occur among individuals from various Israeli locations, including Ra’anana, and are not unique to a specific group. He vehemently objected to the widespread usage of this term.
“I suggest that we drop the slang phrase ‘settler violence.’ It has no basis. There is violence committed by people who come from Ra’anana and from all other places in Israel, just as there is violence committed by people all over the world. I express my utmost objection to this phrase,” Gallant said.
Shlomo Ne’eman, the Head of the Gush Etzion Council and chairman of the Yesha Council, responded to the release of military data indicating a significant decline in nationalist crimes committed by Jews. Ne’eman seized the opportunity to challenge human rights organizations that propagated the narrative of “settler violence,” labeling it a false campaign.
Highlighting the shift in perception, Ne’eman emphasized that the actual violence is directed towards the residents of Judea and Samaria, rather than originating from them. He condemned the negative portrayal of these individuals, stressing that such campaigns not only tarnish their image but also target the entire nation. Ne’eman underscored the significance of the people in Judea and Samaria as a protective barrier for the entire country, emphasizing that their way of life fosters love for the land, prosperity, and development based on values of respect for every person.
He remarked, “Today everyone already knows that the real violence is directed towards the residents of Judea and Samaria, and is not coming from them. This evil campaign not only makes these people look bad, but is directed against the entire country…
“The United States has restricted the transfer of weapons, disqualified fictional characters from entering Judea and Samaria, and created a discourse of so-called mutual violence between extremists. So here are the facts – the people living in Judea and Samaria are the protective wall of the entire country, living in the Land of Israel teaches everyone the love of the land, prosperity, and development, based on values of respect for every person. On the other side is a bloodthirsty anti-Semitic mob, that educates its people to murder, deportation, and rape. Our criminals will always be outside the mainstream of society. Theirs – are their leaders.”
{Matzav.com Israel}
