Six Israeli civilians have been arrested after allegedly attacking soldiers near the West Bank village of Kafr Malik, where deadly clashes with Palestinians took place earlier this week, the military reported on Saturday.
The violence flared following an attack on Wednesday in which, according to the Palestinian health ministry, three Palestinians were killed by settlers. The military said soldiers were dispatched overnight to break up a gathering of Israelis near the village.
“Dozens of Israeli civilians hurled stones at the soldiers, physically and verbally assaulted them—including the battalion commander—and vandalised security force vehicles,” the statement noted. It also said some attempted to ram the troops with vehicles.
The soldiers dispersed the group, and six Israelis were detained and handed over to police. The military did not confirm whether those arrested lived in nearby Israeli settlements established in the occupied territory since 1967.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the violence, calling for a thorough investigation and stressing that “anyone who broke the law or attacked our soldiers must face the full force of the law.”
On Wednesday, following the deaths of three Palestinians in Kafr Malik, hundreds attended their funerals the next day. The Palestinian foreign ministry accused Israel of complicity, alleging that Israeli forces blocked ambulance access and civil defence teams, allowing fires set by settlers to destroy dozens of homes.
The military declined to respond to those allegations but confirmed its forces had intervened after “dozens of Israeli civilians set fire to property” in the village, which led to rock-throwing confrontations between Israelis and Palestinians. The military added that Palestinians also fired shots and threw stones at soldiers, prompting troops to return fire.
Five Israelis were arrested in connection with Wednesday’s events but were reportedly released the following day.
Israeli settlements in the West Bank are deemed illegal under international law, yet their expansion has accelerated under Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government, which includes far-right factions supporting annexation of the territory.
Several countries and human rights organisations have condemned the rising settler violence. The broader surge in West Bank violence coincides with Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza. According to the Palestinian health ministry, 945 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers since the start of the Gaza conflict. Meanwhile, Israel reports 35 of its soldiers and civilians have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during military raids since then.
