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Israeli West Bank settler tells BBC attacks on Palestinians are justified as revenge
๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง United Kingdom /Conflict & Security

Israeli West Bank settler tells BBC attacks on Palestinians are justified as revenge

From BBC News · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • An Israeli settler justified attacks on Palestinians as revenge for a killed Israeli security guard.
  • The settler claimed one Jewish life is worth millions of Palestinian lives.
  • The article highlights the expansion of Israeli settlements and growing violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

In the occupied West Bank, an Israeli settler has openly justified recent attacks on Palestinian villages as acts of revenge. Yehuda Shimon, a lawyer representing Israelis arrested for violence against Palestinians, spoke to the BBC from the Havat Gilad outpost. He stated that after an Israeli security guard was killed, "we need to kill all the people in Tal and Sarra, even Jit and Farata," naming nearby Palestinian villages. When challenged on equating one Jewish life with potentially thousands of Palestinian lives, Shimon responded, "No, millions. One Jewish life, it's 10 million [Palestinians]." He acknowledged the racism of his statement, attributing it to divine selection and perceived jealousy from others. These views, though rejected by many Israelis, are presented as crucial to understanding the escalating conflict and the expansion of Israeli settlements and outposts. Havat Gilad itself, an unauthorized outpost built without Israeli planning permission, is seen by many settlers as land divinely given to the Jewish people. Both official settlements and unauthorized outposts are considered illegal under international law. The outpost was established over 20 years ago in memory of an Israeli security officer murdered by Palestinians. Recent burned buildings near the entrance, attributed by Shimon to Palestinian arson, were reportedly being treated as accidental by Israeli police.

I think now, after they killed one Israeli, we need to kill all the people in Tal and Sarra, even Jit and Farata.

โ€” Yehuda ShimonAn Israeli settler justifying attacks on Palestinian villages to the BBC.
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Originally published by BBC News. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.