Israel's Katz Condemns Settler Violence After U.S. Ambassador's Rebuke
Israel Katz publicly opposed settler violence, saying only authorities should act, after the U.S. ambassador called a recent incident a 'horrific act of terror.'
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday publicly condemned settler violence in the occupied West Bank, responding to unusually sharp criticism from the U.S. ambassador.
Speaking at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the Ganim settlement, Katz said, "We are opposed to violence. We believe that the authorities—and only they—should take whatever action is necessary." He warned that such unrest "causes immense damage among our friends."
His remarks follow an incident in which settlers besieged three homes in the village of Qusra for several days, including one belonging to a Palestinian American. U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee called the episode a "horrific act of terror" on Thursday.
Katz also praised the Trump administration, stating, "We have friends, great friends at the American administration. Within their heart, they know that this land belongs to the Jewish people."
The comments come amid a surge in settler violence and settlement construction under Israel's hard-line government. More than 700,000 Israelis live in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories captured in 1967 and sought by Palestinians for an independent state.