Netanyahu Condemns Settler Violence He Fomented, Again
Al-Monitor reports Prime Minister Netanyahu's stern vow to deal with a 'handful of extremists' after settlers torched Palestinian homes in the West Bank. This dramatic condemnation might almost be believable if it weren't a re-run. Netanyahu has been offering similar empty rhetoric for decades, notably after 2002's Worshipping Zion attack or 2014's Duma arson. His coalition remains reliant on
explicitly pro-settlement, annexationist figures like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir—architects of settlement expansion, not its dismantlers. These 'extremists' are operating under policies and protection sanctioned by Likud governments. One might wonder when the media will connect Netanyahu's condemnations to the unwavering governmental support that enables these 'extremists' to expand
settlements and commit violence with near-total impunity. This isn't a crack-down; it's a carefully orchestrated performance for international consumption, while the land grab continues unabated.