JERUSALEM (VINnews) – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday broke his silence over a wave of extremist settler attacks in the West Bank, condemning the violence but portraying those responsible as only a “handful of rioters” rather than addressing broader criticism of his government’s handling of settler violence.

Netanyahu spoke after dozens of Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Qusra, throwing stones and taking over a Palestinian home while residents were inside. Israeli forces were sent to the scene, but no arrests of settlers were reported by late Saturday.

Netanyahu said the rioters were “causing a huge injustice to the law-abiding settler public, hindering the IDF in fulfilling its missions, and harming Israel’s standing in the world.” He said security forces acted quickly, seized three vehicles and brought the incident to an end.

But Netanyahu did not explain why no settlers had been arrested at the scene. Haaretz reported that the three vehicles seized by security forces were not the vehicles used by the attackers.

The episode has placed renewed attention on Netanyahu’s government and its response to settler violence. Activists say attacks by Israelis who have established unauthorized outposts have increased sharply, while critics accuse the government of providing funding and protection to some of those communities.

Palestinian residents also accused Israeli forces of failing to protect them. Saddam Oday, who was trapped inside the home, said soldiers fired tear gas into the building, detained residents and allowed the settlers to leave. Luay Bayruti, the owner of the home, said soldiers handcuffed, blindfolded and beat people inside before releasing them. The military did not immediately respond to questions about those allegations.
Israeli police said they were investigating the attack and searching for those involved. The police statement said forces were working to bring the perpetrators to justice but did not explain why no arrests had been made at the scene.

The violence continued elsewhere in the West Bank on Saturday. In Jalud, masked Israeli settlers allegedly attacked a Palestinian woman and an NBC News crew, throwing rocks and striking people with sticks. No arrests were reported.

Netanyahu has previously sought to characterize violent settlers as a relatively small group. But the attacks have continued to draw criticism as prosecutions remain rare. Israel’s top West Bank military commander reportedly warned this week that escalating settler violence could trigger a broader Palestinian uprising.