Netanyahu says extremist West Bank settlers face hardships at home, calls media coverage exaggerated

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described extremist settlers involved in violence in the West Bank village of Kusra as a small group facing “all kinds of hardships from home,” while saying international media has exaggerated the issue.

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All kinds of hardships from home

Speaking to Channel 14’s “The Patriots,” Netanyahu said the group consisted of “a small handful of young people” and did not represent the wider Israeli settler community. He called the attacks in Kusra unjustified and “very bad” for the settlement movement.

“Let us, the IDF and the Shin Bet, do the work,” Netanyahu said, referring to Israel’s military and domestic security agency. He also said he intends to strengthen the settler movement in the West Bank because “the dangers have not disappeared.”

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This is a small handful of young people

His comments followed a statement condemning violence after several extremist settlers barricaded themselves inside a Palestinian home in Kusra. “I strongly condemn the criminal acts of violence committed in the villages of Kusra and Jalud by a handful of rioters who violate the law, cause enormous injustice to the law-abiding settler public, hinder the IDF in fulfilling its missions, and harm Israel’s standing in the world,” Netanyahu said.

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Let us, the IDF and the Shin Bet, do the work

He added that security forces quickly ended the incident and confiscated three vehicles. Palestinian residents were inside the house at the time, and Palestinian reports said eight people suffered injuries from stone-throwing.

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I strongly condemn the criminal acts of violence committed in the villages of Kusra and Jalud by a handful of rioters who violate the law, cause enormous injustice to the law-abiding settler public, hinder the IDF in fulfilling its missions, and harm Israel’s standing in the world