Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described allegations of ‘settler violence’ as a “blood libel” against Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, accusing Qatari and Russian operations of using online bots to spread disinformation against Israel.
Speaking to C14 Global’s Sophia Tupolev, Netanyahu praised residents of the region as “extraordinary” and “very brave,” citing families traveling on local roads and young men who have fallen while serving in the IDF.
Netanyahu distinguished between the broader Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria and what he described as 200 to 250 “juvenile delinquents” involved in extremist acts. He said he had tasked the Shin Bet security agency with addressing the problem, adding that he “can’t accept vigilantism.”
“People say it’s taking the law into your own hands. No, it’s breaking the law with your own hands,” Netanyahu said, calling for an end to such acts.
The prime minister also framed the controversy as part of what he called Israel’s “eighth front”: a disinformation campaign targeting Israeli legitimacy and public opinion abroad. He alleged that Qatari and Russian operations, alongside online bots, were working to turn young Americans and Europeans against Israel.
Netanyahu said Israel would need to counter the campaign through “courage,” “brains” and “superior technology,” including the use of artificial intelligence.