In this article, I will present for the first time a comprehensive account of the town of Huwara and the clashes that have taken place between its residents and settler –particularly the Hilltop Youth. The focus of this discussion will be the riots that occurred in the town on February 26, 2023. Such a reference is especially essential following the filing of a lawsuit by the town's residents following the riots, in late February 2025 (see details below).
The Town
Huwara is a Palestinian town in the Nablus Governorate, located 7.3 km south of the city of Nablus. The town's population is approximately 7,000, all of whom are Muslims. Huwara's main street runs along Highway 60, a national highway in the West Bank that stretches from Beersheba to Nazareth.
From the main street, the town expands in both directions. To the north, a road branches westward, bypassing Nablus, while another leads eastward toward the settlements of Itamar and Elon Moreh. The settlement of Yitzhar is situated on a hill to the west of the town, and Har Brakha is located to the north, on Mount Gerizim. Huwara is separated from Nablus by the Huwara checkpoint. Nearby, there are stone quarries used for construction, which provide employment for many of the town's residents.
History of Conflicts
Settlers living on the mountain slopes near Huwara have long reported feeling vulnerable while traveling to and from work, fearing attacks at any moment.
Over the years, there have been numerous incidents involving residents of Huwara and nearby villages throwing stones at Israeli vehicles and IDF forces traveling on Route 60, which runs through the town. Conversely, Huwara has also been a frequent target of "price tag" operations carried out by settlers. This article will primarily focus on events that took place from early 2022 onward.
On January 24, 2022, Avraham Yair Yared was released from prison. Avraham is the younger brother of Elisha Yared, a known leader of the Hilltop Youth and a resident of Ramat Migron. Avraham was convicted of throwing a stun grenade at a house in the Palestinian village of Sarta in Samaria. His conviction stated that he sought to "harm Palestinians wherever they are." Along with seven others, he threw stun grenades and stones at the homes of four Palestinian families. Avraham pleaded guilty to these charges and was convicted of aggravated injury due to a racial motive, possession of a knife, and intentional damage to a vehicle. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison but was released after serving a year.
To celebrate his release, Avraham's friends organized a convoy of about 30 vehicles, which departed from the Tapuach Junction and passed through Huwara. Videos circulated from the event show young men standing up through car sunroofs, honking horns, and driving in circles around the central square at the town's entrance. They continued into the town, singing and dancing. At one point, several vehicles stopped, and their passengers emerged holding clubs, stones, and other objects. They proceeded to cause significant damage to businesses, vehicles, and property. A Palestinian resident was injured in the altercation and taken to the hospital.
Military forces arrived to "break up" the confrontation, leading to several arrests by the police.
Following the incident, Defense Minister Benjamin ("Benny") Gantz stated: "The recent incidents of nationalist crime in the West Bank are serious, and I intend to take strong action against them. Anyone who throws stones, sets vehicles on fire, or uses cold or hot weapons is a terrorist, and we will treat them as such." Deputy Defense Minister Alon Schuster announced that he would ensure maximum coordination between security and law enforcement agencies to combat nationalist crime that threatens the security of the West Bank.
On February 21, 2022, the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court ordered the release of all detainees from the convoy under restrictive conditions, except for one minor against whom a prosecutor's statement was filed. The following day, the minor was also released by the court.
By the end of March 2022, the organization "We Are All with the Detainees of Zion" had issued several statements regarding the situation: "Today, about 20 Jews are in prison for not remaining silent after terrorist attacks. They took the law into their own hands, acted, and were caught. They are paying the price for all of us. We do not forget them or the freedom they lost." Another statement read, "After the recent attacks, the government continues to persecute Jews with all its might. Yesterday, three Jews were arrested in Samaria on suspicion of 'conspiring to harm the enemy.'" Additionally, they highlighted the case of Avraham Yared: "Yared – who was arrested a few weeks ago during a protest in response to the wave of attacks, suspected of planning a reprisal against Arabs, and later released due to lack of evidence – has now been placed under administrative detention for three months."
During a visit to the family of a young Palestinian injured in the incident, as part of a "Tag Meir – united Against Racism" delegation, we met with his father, mother, and the injured young man himself. The victim, 17-year-old Montasar Abdul Fattah Dumaidi, had been sitting at his family's kiosk along Route 60, near the entrance to Huwara.
According to the family and eyewitnesses, settlers exited their vehicles, threw stones at the kiosk, and sprayed Montasar with tear gas. As he attempted to flee, they beat him on the hands, back, and legs until he collapsed on the road in front of his family's yard. Soldiers present at the scene did not intervene in the settlers' actions, nor did they allow family members and neighbors to assist the injured boy. However, local residents claimed that the soldiers also prevented settlers from entering other private properties. An ambulance eventually arrived and transported Montasar to the hospital, where he remained under observation for one day.
In May 2022, tensions rose in the town. The clashes, which began with the removal of Palestinian flags along the section of Highway 60 that passes through it, escalated into violence and stone-throwing. The events began when Palestinians hung a Palestinian flag on a tall pole in the middle of the road in the center of the town. Then came Zvi Sukkot, a resident of Yitzhar, later a member of Knesset from the Religious Zionist Party and National Religious Party – Religious Zionism, who decided to take it down and raise the Israeli flag in its place. The video filmed at the scene gained momentum and resonated on social media, both on the Israeli and Palestinian sides.
In the days after the flag was removed, residents of the town began hanging flags along the highway – which led the IDF to intervene. Soldiers were dispatched to the scene and tasked with taking down the flags. It didn't take long for the transition from flag battles to actual violence – from stone-throwing that caused injuries, to causing property damage. In one case, the son of MK Orit Strook of the National Religious Party – Religious Zionism reported that Palestinians threw stones at her son's vehicle in the town of Huwara, causing him to lose control and get into an accident with his children, ages two and four. The Red Crescent treated him before he was evacuated in mild-moderate condition to Sheba Hospital in Tel Hashomer. "They tried to murder my son and grandchildren," MK Strook said.
In response, young Jewish men were filmed entering a cafe on the main road in the town of Huwara, armed with clubs and masks. They broke hookahs and tables at the entrance.
Following the series of violent events, the IDF took control of the village and concentrated its forces there. The tangible result was that dozens of soldiers and Border Police fighters were deployed along the route. The army created earthen embankments in the village alleys leading to the main route to make it more difficult to throw stones and took over buildings from which stones were thrown.
The Jewish residents on the mountain ridge decided, for their part, to establish a "national honor guard." They announced their intention to come to the town with Israeli flags every time stones were thrown at them. An activist resident of Yitzhar who founded the association claimed that the IDF was not taking the necessary actions, as he put it, for political reasons. "The IDF has the tools to deal with this. Its hands are tied. It is impossible for stones to be thrown here, and no one will respond. We cannot allow this to continue like this."
In late June 2022, the Office of the State Attorney filed an indictment against two young men who took part in vandalizing the cafe on the main thoroughfare.
In late June 2022, youths from Samaria distributed posters against the Commander of the Central Command, Major General Yehuda Fox, which read: "Strong on Jews in Homesh [an outpost in Shomron Regional Council] – weak in Huwara"; this, they claimed, was due to the IDF's weakness in the face of Palestinian stone-throwing incidents in the town. The then Minister of Public Security, Omar Bar-Lev, condemned the statements against Fox: "Shame and disgrace. An extremist and unbridled handful of ungrateful people chooses to attack an IDF commander in this way, who leads his soldiers – along with the Israel Police and the Shin Bet – on very complex missions in a determined and stubborn struggle against Palestinian terrorism. Major General Yehuda Fox dedicates his life to protecting the security of the State of Israel, and he deserves recognition for that."
In September 2022, the Samaria Regional Brigade reported an attack by a passing vehicle on an Israeli vehicle, in an area of the town of Huwara. The driver was slightly injured by the vehicle's window shattering.
In December 2022, a Border Police soldier was slightly injured in a stabbing in the town. The terrorist, who was armed with a knife, first tried to break into an Israeli car in which an IDF officer was traveling, was shot by him, but managed to recover and stabbed the soldier near the eye. A Border Police officer who was with the soldier confronted the terrorist, who was seen trying to snatch his weapon, and later shot the terrorist with a gun. The terrorist was evacuated from the scene in serious condition and later died of his wounds.
Events in the Town of Huwara – February 26, 2023
The evening of the incident: A Palestinian terrorist shot and killed two brothers – Sergeant Hillel (22) and Yagel Yaniv (20) – residents of the religious community of Har Brakha, on the Mount Gerizim ridge south of Nablus. The brothers attended Hesder yeshivot in Kiryat Shmona and Giv'at Olga, and were murdered on their way back from home to their yeshivot. When they arrived at Einabus Square in the town of Huwara, Palestinian terrorist Abd al-Fatah Kharusha, a Hamas member from the Askar refugee camp near Nablus, fired many bullets at them from close range through the window of their vehicle with his 9 mm pistol. They were evacuated to Beilinson Hospital, where they were later pronounced dead.
Minister of Finance and member of the political-security cabinet, Bezalel Smotrich, reacted to the attack with a strong statement: "Many thousands of Jews pass through there every day. Every Jew is a target for those bloodthirsty terrorists... Calm will only be achieved when the IDF strikes the cities of terror and its perpetrators mercilessly, using tanks and helicopters, in a way that sends a clear message – that the owner of the house has gone mad and will crush their will to harm us."
Deputy Regional Council of Samaria, Davidi Ben-Zion, immediately launched a scathing attack against the government. In a Facebook post, he expressed frustration: "The miracle that happened two days ago did not happen today. At the same location where a girl was injured by a stone, two innocent Samaria residents were murdered just an hour ago." He later escalated his rhetoric, declaring: "The town of Huwara must be wiped out. This place is a nest of terror, and the punishment should be collective. Enough with the empty talk about building and strengthening the settlement."
The Events Unfold
On the night between February 26 and 27, 2023, in the hours following the attack and before the funeral, hundreds of settlers – primarily youth from the surrounding areas – stormed the town of Huwara in retaliation for the murder of the Yaniv brothers. They set fire to shops, houses, and vehicles, causing widespread destruction.
Border Police forces were called to the scene and attempted to disperse the rioters using tear gas and stun grenades. However, the violence persisted. Three settlers sustained injuries from stones thrown by Palestinians, while two others suffered from exposure to tear gas. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported approximately one hundred Palestinian casualties resulting from the clashes.
A reserve battalion, alongside Border Police teams stationed in the town, worked to rescue dozens of Palestinian families trapped inside their homes, which had been set ablaze.
Palestinian residents of Huwara provided harrowing testimonies the following day. They described how the rioters operated without interference for hours, setting fire to homes, vandalizing vehicles, and hurling stones. Some carried firearms, while others threw Molotov cocktails at residences. Witnesses reported that the attackers systematically entered various locations, torching buildings and damaging cars. Entire lots filled with new vehicles were consumed by flames.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 20 people suffered from gas and smoke inhalation, while one individual was lightly injured after being struck in the face with an iron bar. Another person sustained a severe head injury, suffering a fractured skull due to a stone attack.
Numerous videos documenting the events surfaced, showing the presence of soldiers, Border Police officers, and security vehicles at multiple locations within the town. Despite their presence, the riots continued for several hours. Palestinian residents reported that when they attempted to protect their homes, Israeli forces responded with tear gas and stun grenades rather than intervening against the rioters.
The violence erupted at approximately 2:30 p.m., yet it was not until around 11:00 p.m. that security forces finally regained control.
Investigation into Security Failures
A subsequent investigation into the riots, submitted to the Chief of Staff, concluded that intelligence agencies had failed to provide an early warning about the settlers' plans. The Commander of the Central Commander. Major General Yehuda Fox, acknowledged that the military had been unprepared for the scale of the attack, stating: "We were preparing for a different event, and the intensity and scope of this one took us by surprise."
Military commanders noted that the level of violence was extraordinary, even in comparison to previous incidents.
Extensive reporting from Haaretz newspaper revealed that the riots had been planned in advance. Messages circulating in WhatsApp groups called for protests and acts of retribution. According to the IDF, approximately 50 settlers led the violence, operating in coordinated squads. These individuals – most of whom were already known to the Shin Bet's Jewish Division – strategically avoided security cameras and brought flammable materials and Molotov cocktails to the scene. Each squad had a designated target to attack.
The Shin Bet acknowledged the incident but provided a vague response, stating that "measures are being taken to prevent similar occurrences in the future," without addressing the clear intelligence failure.
The IDF investigation uncovered multiple operational failures. Forces in the area were insufficient to both track the terrorist responsible for the earlier attack and simultaneously prevent violent riots. Reinforcements were slow to arrive, allowing the situation to escalate unchecked. The investigation further criticized military commanders for failing to identify the severity of the situation as it developed.
Although the report did not assign personal blame to any individual commanders, it did highlight poor coordination between the military and police, emphasizing that this issue needed urgent attention.
During the riots, one person – a 37-year-old man – was killed, and dozens were injured. Significant property damage occurred, with numerous buildings and vehicles torched. In total, losses were estimated at approximately 10 million shekels. Among the destruction were: 15 private vehicles set ablaze; Two scrapyards, containing approximately 250 additional vehicles, burned; Around 35 homes and businesses partially or completely damaged; Livestock, including sheep, slaughtered or stolen.
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi addressed the failures, stating that while the chain of command had made correct prioritization decisions, mistakes were made in force allocation and riot control. He admitted: "The IDF should have prevented the riots in Huwara. Acts of violent retribution against civilians, as well as attacks on IDF soldiers, are unacceptable. Such actions distract our forces from the fight against terrorism and nearly resulted in additional casualties during confrontations between soldiers and rioters."
Major General Yehuda Fox described the events as a "pogrom." He condemned the actions of the rioters, saying: "This was a shameful event perpetrated by lawbreakers acting against the values I was raised with, against the values of the State of Israel, and against the principles of Judaism."
Reactions and Justifications from the Right
Following the violence, right-wing politicians offered varied responses. Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who frequently comments on security matters, remained silent on the night of the riots. Only the following afternoon did he issue a brief statement echoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's sentiment, calling on citizens to "refrain from taking the law into their own hands."
The minister, accompanied by his party members, arrived at a faction meeting in the Evyatar outpost, a location officially designated as a closed military area. There, he made his statement – all while staying in an illegal outpost alongside dozens of settlers. Despite the gravity of the events, he refrained from issuing any warnings in real time. Some of the MKs who were present with him openly expressed support for the rioters.
Negev, Galilee and National Resilience Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf from the Otzma Yehudit faction, did not condemn the riots, nor did his fellow party member, Almog Cohen. MK Zvika Fogel, from the Otzma Yehudit faction, went so far as to declare: "A closed, burnt Huwara – that's what I want to see." Following this remark, a police investigation was launched against Fogel on suspicion of incitement to terrorism, after the Attorney General authorized the inquiry. However, after more than a year, the case was closed. In response, Fogel stated: "I will continue to tell the truth, even if it is not pleasing to the ears of the defeated faction."
Benzi Gopstein, chairman of the Lehava organization and a close ally of Minister Ben-Gvir, eliminated any ambiguity regarding his stance, offering an even more radical perspective: "The problem is not Huwara. Anyone who does not accept that there is a Jewish state here must get out. This is the only solution. It will take a long time... and a lot of Jewish blood will be shed before they understand this."
Daniella Weiss, chairman of the Nahala movement for settlement, also refused to condemn the riots. She stated unequivocally: "I have no word, not even a quarter of a word, to say to the rioters. Will I tell people to leave Huwara? Will I ask them to stop? Stop what? We are protecting Jewish lives."
As in similar cases, the dispute over the events hinged on the familiar question: Who started it? The Hilltop Youth claimed that they were responding to stone-throwing attacks and merely defended themselves as needed.
The Jewish Voice website reported: "Arabs threw stones at the convoy and other Jewish vehicles, and in response, Jews threw stones back."
Meanwhile, the Srugim website framed the situation as follows: "Arabs attacked the wrong convoy, and they paid the price."
A relative of one of the detainees, who was also part of the convoy, expressed outrage: "These are nothing but show arrests, intended for two reasons: to placate extreme left-wing organizations by appearing tough on religious settlers and to intimidate the few Jews who still walk with their heads held high in Jewish pride. The message is clear – if you are attacked, you should flee or turn the other cheek. God forbid you defend yourself and respond in kind. This morning, the State of Israel denied its citizens their most basic right: self-defense."
Honenu – "an Israeli Zionist legal aid organization which offers legal assistance to our people to protect and preserve their rights to receive a fair judicial process" – also weighed in: "In the town of Huwara, Arabs throw stones at Jews daily, yet the authorities only make arrests when the suspects are Jewish."
Elhanan Groner, editor of The Jewish Voice site, dismissed claims that the settlers' response to the attack in Huwara had been excessive: "A Jewish state should have done much more than this. In fact, Huwara has had no right to exist for many years. The State of Israel should have erased the town." He elaborated: "People are fed up- you see it in online reactions. The government was elected to restore sovereignty and security for Jews, yet today we wake up to news that the IDF is failing to stop terrorists. This frustration is driving widespread support for these actions. People want the state to take decisive action."
Settler spokespeople downplayed the severity of the riots, insisting that they were limited to the "burning of mashtubas." It refers to vehicles that have been rendered unfit for legal road use, often due to theft or obsolescence, yet continues to be driven dangerously in unauthorized areas. The phenomenon is particularly prevalent in the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority, and the Negev region.
The statements emerging from settler-leaders and activists reflected an unmistakably vigilante approach. According to their narrative, the real problem lay in the "security vacuum" created by military authorities in the West Bank, as well as in the "luminary eclipse" – their term for the perceived failure of those authorities to fulfill their duties. In this view, those responsible for fostering anarchy were not the Hilltop Youth, but rather the government and military, which were failing to uphold the proper Jewish order. The argument followed that, in the Middle East, one must "speak Arabic." While the youth in Huwara had spoken this language, according to this logic, such actions should have been carried out officially – by the state, not by individuals.
To properly "deal with the problem," the proposal put forth by some settlers called for reestablishing "retribution units" akin to the Commando Unit 101 [founded and commanded by Areil Sharon on orders from the Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, in August 1953. They were armed with non-standard weapons and tasked with carrying out retribution operations across the state's borders – in particular, establishing small unit maneuvers, activation and insertion tactics). These units, they argued, would be tasked with enforcing collective punishment in Arab communities across the West Bank and beyond. Such measures would include: The erasure of entire communities; Expulsions and killings; The burning of vehicles and property, all conducted in an organized and official manner. According to these voices, only such drastic steps would restore national honor and deterrence.
Additional Failures
Despite the severity of the riots, the state ultimately did not prosecute any of those involved. Following the riots in Huwara, ten young men were arrested by police. However, nine were promptly released – some under restrictive conditions, such as house arrest – despite the existence of video footage from Palestinian stores showing them setting buildings on fire. Due to identification challenges and the suspects' refusal to cooperate during interrogation, authorities struggled to build a case.
In a parallel development, Minister of Defense Yoav Galant issued administrative detention orders for two of the nine released individuals. A security source emphasized the significance of this move: "Bringing justice to these rioters is the most crucial step in combating this phenomenon. This may be the only deterrent preventing such an event from recurring in the future."
The administrative detention orders sparked a fierce backlash from right-wing politicians. In response, 50 ministers and MKs from across the coalition signed a sharply worded letter to the Minister of Defense, demanding the release of the detainees. The letter, initiated by MK Limor Son Har-Melech of Otzma Yehudit, was signed by prominent figures, including: Itamar Ben-Gvir, Minister of National Security; Shlomo Karhi, Minister of Communications; Orit Strook, Minister of Settlements and National Missions; Idit Silman, Minister of Environmental Protection; Numerous deputy ministers and other MKs. Their letter condemned the detentions as "a predatory measure directed against the settler community."
The Minister of Defence Galant stood by the decision, though his response failed to satisfy the protesters. He clarified: "This is a unique case involving individuals who chose to act outside the law. They do not represent the settler community; in fact, they are harming it." He also revealed that the Shin Bet had gathered significant intelligence indicating that the two detainees were planning additional violent actions and had a well-documented history of hostility toward security forces. Galant concluded with a firm stance: "We must not encourage any form of terrorism – including vigilante terrorism."
In late March 2023, while two young men were facing terrorism charges for attacking a family in the town of Huwara, Minister of Public Security Itamar Ben-Gvir met with their parents. He assured them that he would take action to "right the wrong."
Consequences and Escalation
The failures of the security authorities – before, during, and after the Huwara riots – left the Hilltop Youth undeterred. In fact, their actions may have even been emboldened, as further incidents continued to unfold.
The very next day, on February 27, 2023, far-right activists attempted a similar attack in Silwad, a Palestinian town in Samaria near Ofra, belonging to the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate. With a population of around 6,000, the town is considered a Hamas stronghold and has been classified by the IDF as one of the most violent in the Binyamin sector, producing numerous terrorists.
According to security sources, activists arrived in Silwad masked and in a convoy of vehicles. However, unlike in Huwara, they were met by Palestinian residents who pelted their vehicles with stones, setting one of them on fire. The activists fled in a vehicle belonging to one of the administrative detainees previously arrested for his role in the Huwara riots.
A senior security source commented: "This incident could have easily ended in murder or kidnapping, further escalating tensions in the West Bank and potentially sparking violence in other regions as well."
The failure to enforce consequences allowed Huwara to become a symbol of defiance and perceived victory among radicalized youth. It was widely celebrated within extremist circles, even inspiring songs.
An anonymous singer's track about the Huwara fire became a hit in the "Hilltop News" WhatsApp group. The lyrics, set to the melody of Hanan Ben Ari's song Chananya, included: "Who is going up in flames? Huwara." The response line suggested: "Both houses and cars... They are evacuating the old women, women, and girls, it burned all night." Further lyrics glorified the destruction: "There is nothing like Huwara when it is burning. All the angels are enjoying themselves from above."
Despite the high-profile riots, no meaningful changes were implemented. In the following weeks, tensions between settlers and Palestinian residents in Huwara remained high, leading to continued violent confrontations.
On March 7, 2023, four Palestinians, including a young girl, were injured after their vehicles were pelted with stones in Huwara. According to residents, settlers also fired into the air.
Footage from the town showed masked men throwing stones and clubs at a Palestinian car carrying children. Meanwhile, IDF soldiers were filmed dancing with settlers on the main street of Huwara, as chants of "Huwara is occupied" echoed in the background. Other videos showed settlers attacking Palestinian vehicles, forcing them to flee. Eventually, security forces intervened, dispersing the gathering in Huwara – only for a similar mob to form at the Yitzhar Junction, where settlers threw stones and set off fireworks.
On March 25, 2023, two Kfir Brigade soldiers – both yeshiva students – were seriously and moderately wounded when a gunman opened fire from a passing vehicle near a military post in Huwara. The attacker fled to Nablus.
Fearing further reprisals, security forces quickly deployed reinforcements. Despite this, retaliatory clashes broke out between settlers and Palestinians. Over 100 settlers gathered at Yitzhar Junction, attempting to break through police and army checkpoints. The confrontation escalated, with Border Police and Border Police forces stepping in to restore order.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that a Palestinian civilian had been attacked by settlers.
On March 27, 2023, dozens of Israelis launched attacks in Huwara, leaving six Palestinians injured. One of the wounded was transferred to Rafidia Hospital in Nablus.
A security source reported that Israeli settlers: Set fire to a truck; Stoned Palestinian vehicles, including an ambulance that was damaged while transporting the wounded,
In response, Palestinians threw stones at passing Israeli cars. Security forces arrived, closed the road, arrested five settlers and ten Palestinians, and eventually dispersed the confrontation.
On March 28, 2023, the leaders of "Fighting for Life," a far-right settler group, released a statement in explicitly vigilante language: "Huwara again. Again, endless stone throwing. Again, the system chooses containment. Dozens of residents went to Huwara yesterday during life-threatening Arab riots. Only after residents acted did the army intervene – poorly. Instead of dealing with the stone throwers, the army closed the road and forcibly removed the residents demanding it be reopened."
On March 19, 2023, one of the few exceptions, proving that a strong military presence can deter settler violence, occurred. David Stern, a former U.S. Marine, was moderately to seriously wounded in the hand and head after being shot in a terror attack. Stern managed to return fire, wounding the assailant. Unlike previous incidents, IDF forces were properly deployed, preventing retaliatory settler violence. The attacker was later captured by Samaria Police scouts, who found him hiding in a building in Huwara. His Carlo-type submachine gun was confiscated.
International Reactions and U.S. Sanctions
In early February 2024, U.S. imposed sanctions on four settlers involved in attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank. One of the sanctioned individuals was David Chai Chasdai, a prominent Hilltop Youth activist from Beit El. Even in his youth, he had been the No. 1 target of the Shin Bet.
The U.S. government accused Chasdai of leading the Huwara riots. His actions, alongside those of other far-right settlers, led to increased diplomatic pressure on Israel from Western allies.
Town Residents File Lawsuit – Late February 2025
In late February 2025, residents of Huwara filed a lawsuit in response to the violent riots that took place on February 23, 2023. Nine Palestinians – who suffered severe harm primarily from smoke inhalation due to arson, as well as psychological trauma and extreme anxiety – filed for 700,000 shekels in compensation from the IDF, the Israel Police, and the Defense Ministry. The plaintiffs argued that these security bodies had "completely failed to fulfill their legal obligations" by failing to prepare adequately for an attack, neglecting to instruct security forces on the ground, and failing to provide protection to the town’s residents.
According to the prosecution, despite receiving prior warnings, security forces: Did not prevent rioters from entering Huwara; Failed to deploy an adequate number of personnel; Did not issue appropriate operational directives; Did not protect civilians or their property; Did not effectively investigate criminal offenses or hold perpetrators accountable.
The plaintiffs further claimed that the limited measures taken by security forces were incomplete and insufficient, rendering them ineffective. They argued: "No reasonable effort was made to gather evidence against any of the 400 rioters who arrived in organized transports from nearby towns. Only a handful of suspects were detained for questioning, and authorities seemingly made a premeditated decision to forgo interrogating dozens or even hundreds of others." Thay claimed that, in addition to security failures during the riots, the investigation into the events was deeply flawed. The plaintiffs alleged that: Security camera footage and mobile phone recordings from town residents were not systematically collected; Eyewitness testimonies from victims and Palestinian residents were not gathered; The condition of the injured was not monitored to determine whether they could provide critical information on their attackers; IDF soldiers who were present at the scene – potential witnesses – were not questioned; Physical evidence from multiple crime scenes was never collected.
The lawsuit also criticized the police for actively obstructing justice. According to the plaintiffs, officers not only failed to assist victims in filing complaints but also deliberately delayed the formal complaint process for two days following the death of a Palestinian resident. This obstruction, they argued, violated the police’s legal duty to investigate crimes independently, even without a formal complaint. The plaintiffs asserted that this selective enforcement was discriminatory, unlawful, and fundamentally unjust.
Conclusions
A significant "systemic failure" took place in the town of Huwara. The riots represented a collective breakdown of all security forces – the Shin Bet, which was responsible for providing early warnings, the IDF, which holds sovereign control on the ground and is tasked with ensuring the security of all residents, and the Israel Police, which operates under its authority.
Despite clear warning signs – which I personally observed at the time – and the understanding that this was a public that had previously demonstrated its intentions and aspirations through action, the security establishment failed to act decisively. Social media platforms were flooded with inflammatory rhetoric. Posters called for vengeance. The Deputy Regional Council of Samaria publicly advocated for the complete destruction of Huwara, a sentiment endorsed with a "like" by Bezalel Smotrich. This endorsement prompted a harsh response from the U.S. State Department, condemning the behavior as "irresponsible, offensive, and disgusting." Smotrich later clarified that "taking the law into one's own hands is prohibited," yet even these developments were not enough to prompt the Shin Bet, the IDF, and the Israel Police to take the necessary precautions and preventive measures.
The core group responsible for carrying out the attack was drawn from a defined social movement within the population of the West Bank, known as Hilltop Youth. Although the events involved broader circles of participants, this radical faction played a central role.
The connection between the rioters and the Kahanist movement became unmistakable through a video shared in the WhatsApp group "Hill News." Set against the backdrop of flames engulfing homes and vehicles in Huwara, the video featured quotes from Rabbi Meir Kahane: "We want to create physically strong, courageous, and fearless Jews who respond to war with all their might." Another quote declared: "We came to change a two-thousand-year-old image of exile – an image that must be buried because it buried us." The video concluded with the statement: "There is no such thing as Jewish terrorism, there is Jewish revenge," followed by a final caption: "Today everyone knows! Rabbi Kahane was right."
In summary, the violent riots in Huwara were an inevitable consequence of the ongoing lack of governance and sovereignty in the West Bank. They also reflected the growing influence of violent extremism, manifesting in increasing instances of vigilantism and even vigilante terrorism in the region.
Yet, despite the intent to destroy and displace the town's residents, Huwara was rebuilt with international support. In mid-March 2023, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed announced a grant of three million dollars to assist in its rehabilitation and reconstruction following the violence.
After a series of additional incidents – some resulting in serious casualties – the first section of the Huwara bypass road was opened in November 2023. This new route now allows travel without passing through the town, mitigating the potential for further unnecessary friction.
(Permission to attached Photograph: Activestills.org).