Thousands of Israeli protesters took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday to denounce a surge in settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The demonstration, one of the largest of its kind in recent months, saw police block the planned march route and confront participants, leading to several arrests.
Organisers said the rally was a response to a series of attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian villages and farmland, which have escalated since the start of the year. Protesters carried signs reading “Stop the terror” and “Settlers are not our flag,” and chanted slogans calling for the government to rein in extremist elements.
The march came as the European Union remains deadlocked on sanctions for Israeli settlements, with ambassadors unable to agree on a unified response to the expansion of outposts in the West Bank. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has urged member states to take a stronger stance, but divisions persist between countries like France and Germany, which favour a tougher line, and others that are more cautious.
Police response and political context
Israeli police said they blocked the march because it had not received the required permit, and accused some protesters of attempting to breach a security cordon. Video footage showed officers pushing back demonstrators and making arrests. Police spokesperson Shimon Ben-Shalom said the force was “acting to maintain public order and prevent violence from any side.”
The protest reflects a deepening rift within Israeli society over the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, which includes far-right parties that support settlement expansion. Critics argue that the government has turned a blind eye to settler violence, while officials in the West Bank report a sharp increase in attacks on Palestinian property and individuals.
In Brussels, the EU’s inability to agree on sanctions has frustrated diplomats. The bloc has long considered settlement activity illegal under international law, but internal disagreements have prevented the adoption of punitive measures. The deadlock is part of a broader pattern of twin deadlocks on Russia sanctions and Israeli settlement trade, complicating the EU’s foreign policy coherence.
Meanwhile, a separate fact-check by European Pulse debunked claims that a recent wildfire in Norway was linked to a proposed ban on imports from Israeli settlements. The fire, which burned near Oslo, was caused by a lightning strike, not political arson, as some online rumours had suggested. Read the full fact check on the Norway fire.
The Tel Aviv protest also drew attention to the broader humanitarian situation in the West Bank, where the UN has documented a rise in settler-related incidents. Human rights groups say the violence is often met with impunity, and they have called on Israel to hold perpetrators accountable. The European Parliament has passed several resolutions condemning settlement expansion, but these have had little practical effect.
As the march wound down, some protesters vowed to continue their campaign. “We will not stay silent while our government allows extremists to terrorise Palestinians,” said one organiser, speaking on condition of anonymity. “This is a fight for the soul of our country.”
