Sunday night, dozens of Israelis stormed into the Arab town of Huwara – located near Nabulus in the northern West Bank –where they set fires, burning buildings. One person was reported by local authorities to have been shot to death. The rioting by Israelis came in response to the murder of two Israelis – young brothers in their 20s Hillel and Yigal Yaniv – when they drove through the town earlier in the day.
President of Israel Isaac Herzog criticized the rioters. He released a message saying, “Taking the law into one’s own hands, rioting, and committing violence against innocents—this is not our way, and I express my forceful condemnation. We must allow the IDF, police, and security forces to apprehend the despicable terrorist and restore order immediately.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also called on Israelis to step back and not to engage in such acts of violence. Netanyahu released a statement saying, “I ask – even when the blood is boiling – not to take the law into one’s hands. I ask that the IDF and the security forces be allowed to carry out their work. I remind you that in recent weeks, they have targeted dozens of terrorists and thwarted dozens of attacks.”
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“Let the IDF complete its pursuit,” he added, “and do not take the law into your hands; together we will defeat terrorism.”
بعد أن أحرقوا منازل الفلسطينيين في #حوارة، المغتصبين الصهاينة يرقصون على جراحنا..#نابلس pic.twitter.com/n2Sela7MHT
— أدهم أبو سلمية #غزة 🇵🇸 (@adham922) February 26, 2023
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant – a former IDF general who is currently a member of Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud Party – also criticized the violence committed by Israelis there and called on people to let the IDF do its job, lest they interfere with the ongoing search for the terrorists who murdered the brothers.
جانب من آثار هجوم المستوطنين على بلدة #حوارة جنوب مدينة #نابلس الليلة الماضية حيث أحرقوا ٣٠ منزلا وعشرات المركبات . pic.twitter.com/Nk6d17Tvdq
— أحمد زكي (@wesam2810) February 27, 2023
“Even at the end of a difficult and painful day,” said Gallant, “in which two young brothers were murdered by a vile terrorist, I call on the citizens of Israel: do not take the law into your hands.”
“The violations of order in Huwara endanger the citizens,” he added, “and harm the activities of the security forces in the hunt for the terrorists. I trust the commanders and soldiers of the IDF, and I am sure that they will put their hands on the murderers.”
Aftermath of the lsraeli settlers pogrom against the Palestinians in Huwara .!.#حوارة#IsraeliSettlorCrimes pic.twitter.com/q9dWeLhH31
— Khawla (@kh___na) February 27, 2023
Even leader of the right-wing party Religious Zionism, a settler leader himself, who serves as Finance Minister in Netanyahu’s government, criticized the rioters and asked them to stand down.
“My fellow settlers,” tweeted Smotrich, “the pain is great, but believe me we are working hard to provide a real answer to terrorism, both militarily and through settling the land. Since the terrible attack, we have only been busy with this. But we must not take the law into our hands and create a dangerous anarchy that could get out of control and cost human lives. Let us as a political echelon formulate the answer and let the IDF win in Israel.”
In stark contrast to the calls for calm and condemnations that came from the leaders of Israel’s right-wing government, leaders in the Palestinian Authority called for revenge with the Fatah group – the party of the PA leadership – calling on people to arm themselves and take to the streets.
