In search of 'settler violence' - opinion

The Government Press Office at the end of October shared that nearly 1,900 foreign journalists had descended upon Israel to cover Operation Swords of Iron, following Hamas’s brutal massacre of Israelis in the South on October 7.

It seems that, after nearly two months of the Gaza operation, many of those journalists have become very complacent when it comes to their coverage of the war, and therefore have moved on to other topics.

I base this claim on the fact my colleagues and I, who work with the foreign press, assisting them with their coverage of Judea and Samaria, have received dozens of requests for interviews, comments, and more over the past several weeks.

The top issue on their agenda is, of course, alleged “settler violence” since October 7. This perhaps shouldn’t be surprising.

Instead of only focusing on denying Hamas (and Russia) the ability to carry out further acts of evil, in a November 18 Washington Post op-ed penned by US President Joe Biden, Biden took up nearly a paragraph on Jews in Judea, indicating that the US was preparing to issue “visa bans against extremists [read Jews] attacking civilians [read Arabs] in the West Bank.”

And on Tuesday of this week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a press release following through on Biden’s announcement, indicating that “The State Department is implementing a new visa restriction policy targeting individuals believed to have been involved in undermining peace, security, or stability in the West Bank… Immediate family members of such persons also may be subject to these restrictions.”

The vague statement didn’t include specific details of what the visa restriction policy would look like, but it is clear that it will be singling out alleged attacks by Jews in Israel, based on their geography.

So, with the leader of the free world and his minions choosing to divert the topic from Hamas’s spree of brutal violence, including the rape, torture, and murder of 1,200 Israelis, it’s not shocking to see the press following suit.

Violence in question has gone down, not up, according to a new report

But as these journalists are chasing headlines, I’m sorry to disappoint. Citing police statistics, a November 9 Israel Hayom exclusive reported that violence emanating from Judea and Samaria actually dropped by 50% from October 7 to November 7, 2023, compared to the same period in 2022.

The article elaborated, indicating that there was a significant decrease across the board in all categories including “serious attacks,” agricultural vandalism, violent clashes, and more. According to the report, the statistics are in direct contradiction of the claims made by the American government.

IRONICALLY, NOT one single journalist contacted me to discuss Arab attacks against Jews in Judea and Samaria, or terrorism directed against Jews in general.

If they were truly looking for the reality of the situation, I would share statistics from the Rescuers Without Borders organization, indicating that from January to June alone, there were 3,640 acts of terrorism including rock and firebomb attacks, throwing of burning tires on the roads, shooting attacks, and more, perpetrated by Arabs toward Jewish motorists and residents of our communities. The organization will release its end-of-year statistics soon, which I anticipate will include similar or even an increase in the number of these daily attacks.

I would also stress to the journalists, that without even including the 1,200 Israelis murdered on October 7, 2023 was the deadliest year since the Oslo War (Second Intifada), with almost 40 Israelis murdered in Arab-perpetrated terrorist attacks, the majority killed in Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem.

In addition, as the official leadership of Judea and Samaria condemns violence – even while oftentimes Arabs and other anarchists deliberately and violently instigate by approaching Jewish communities with cell phone video cameras at the ready, hoping for a response – the PA applauds and rewards terror and violence via their pay-to-slay program. 

The truth is that the more than 500,000 Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria are largely peaceful, law-abiding, and loyal citizens of the State of Israel. Violence emanating from our areas is minuscule. But with the obsession surrounding Jews living in their historic heartland by the current administration in Washington and other world capitals disproportionately magnified, the phone calls, WhatsApps, and emails from the press are a given.

My suggestion to them is to stay on assignment and cover what’s truly newsworthy – Hamas’s brutal aggression, and Israel’s justifiable military operation in Gaza – to wipe evil off the face of the earth for the sake of all humanity.

The writer is the international spokesperson for the Gush Etzion Regional Council and host of the Israel Uncensored podcast on the Land of Israel Network.