Settler in occupied West Bank defends weekend attacks as revenge in rare BBC interview
The Israeli settler outpost of Havat Gilad, located deep in the occupied West Bank, sits on several hilltops, with its simple block houses and sheds clearly visible from the neighbouring Palestinian villages of Tal, Sarra, Jit and Farata. Last weekend, the area witnessed a wave of settler attacks on those villages, following an incident that left four Palestinians and an Israeli soldier dead.
The violence began on Friday when an Israeli security guard from Havat Gilad was killed during a confrontation between Palestinians and Israelis in the village of Tal. The exact circumstances of the confrontation remain disputed, with both sides offering differing accounts. The Israeli military said the guard was killed by Palestinian gunmen, while Palestinian witnesses have contested this version of events.
In the aftermath, residents of Havat Gilad and other nearby outposts launched a series of attacks on Palestinian villages, damaging property and injuring several Palestinians. The Israeli military has said it is investigating the incidents.
It is rare for international media to gain access to these outposts, but the BBC was allowed into Havat Gilad to speak with Yehuda Shimon, a lawyer who represents Israelis arrested for violence against Palestinians.
When asked about the weekend attacks, Mr. Shimon said they were justified as revenge for the killing of the security guard. "I think now, after they killed one Israeli, we need to kill all the people in Tal and Sarra, even Jit and Farata," he said, naming the villages closest to the outpost.
When asked whether he was equating one Jewish life with hundreds or thousands of Palestinian lives, Mr. Shimon responded, "No, millions. One Jewish life, it's 10 million [Palestinians]."
The views expressed by Mr. Shimon are his own and do not represent all Israeli settlers, many of whom have condemned the recent attacks. However, they reflect a radicalisation in some segments of the settler movement, which has been expanding settlements in the West Bank in defiance of international law.
The United Nations and most countries consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including outposts such as Havat Gilad, illegal under international law. The Israeli government, however, disputes this and has continued to support settlement expansion. The recent violence has highlighted the volatile nature of the region, where tensions over land and security continue to fuel conflict.
The Palestinian Authority has called on the international community to intervene and protect Palestinian civilians from settler attacks. The Israeli military has said it will take action against those involved in the violence, but residents of the affected villages say they live in constant fear.
As the BBC left Havat Gilad, the sounds of construction could be heard nearby, with new structures being built on the hilltops. The settlement expansion continues, even as the cycle of violence shows no sign of ending.
