Settlers blame Israeli defense minister for growing West Bank insecurity

With tensions growing in the West Bank, Defense Minister Benny Gantz has been targeted by the settlers. They are demanding that the government launch an actual military operation to prevent any further escalation in the territories.

Over the last few weeks, not a day has gone by without some violent incident or other targeting the Jewish settlers of the West Bank or the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Some of these incidents have even involved firearms.

As defense minister, Gantz finds himself caught in the eye of the storm. He is coming under intense pressure from the settlers, who are using the Nov. 1 election as leverage to force the government — and especially Gantz — to act.

As head of a party with a strong right-wing orientation — the Blue and White party — the pressure being placed on Gantz has the potential to impact his performance in the polls. His party includes two ministers who were former members of the Likud — Gideon Saar and Ze’ev Elkin — who share a similar ideology with that party. They have strong ties with the settlers, and have succeeded in winning support from some right-wing voters. In an election in which every vote counts, Gantz could lose their support from these voters, thereby weakening his position.

In fact, it is already happening. The leaders of the settler movement are taking advantage of Gantz’s Achilles’ heel to coerce him to lead the forces in government calling for significant action against West Bank terrorist groups.

On Oct. 3, settler leaders held a press conference outside Gantz’s home, announcing that several West Bank municipalities would be holding protest strikes. They blamed the government of preventing the IDF from acting against rock throwers and even against shooters. A second demonstration in front of Gantz’s home took place Oct. 6.

In the past few days, settlers repeatedly blocked the entrances and exits to Nablus, arguing that since the government is failing to stop terrorism, they have no choice but to defend their residents themselves.

Gantz finds himself in a sensitive situation. On the one hand, he is believed to be the member of the Cabinet with the closest ties to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. The two men speak and even meet regularly. Gantz takes pride in his good relationship with the Palestinian leader, claiming that it is intended to maintain calm in the territories. The problem is that while this may have been true several months ago, it no longer is. The relationship between Gantz and Abbas and the direct line of communication between the two men is failing to prevent a wave of terror, which is taking a toll on the day-to-day life of the settlers. While Prime Minister Yair Lapid and the other members of the Cabinet have managed to avoid the settlers’ wrath, Gantz is subjected to most of their ire.

Just a few hours before the start of Yom Kippur, Gantz attended a situation briefing in the Central Command. The chief of staff and the director of the Shin Bet were also present at the brief.

He reported on the briefing on his Twitter account, and included a photo from the visit. In his post, he wrote that the security forces are stationed everywhere to protect the local residents. He then resorted to especially threatening language, saying that Israel is targeting “anyone who plans to commit a shooting attack, leading to the death of Israeli citizens.”