Netanyahu slams 'obsession' with settler violence at UN
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised what he called an “obsession” with Israeli settler violence during his address to the UN General Assembly on Thursday.
Netanyahu said attacks against Israelis in the West Bank received insufficient international attention, accusing the media and social media platforms of overlooking violence against Israeli families.
“Every day, they try to murder our people, particularly in our historic homeland in Judea,” Netanyahu said. “There are thousands of attempts per year on families, peaceful families driving along the roads.”
His comments come amid international criticism of settler violence. According to UN figures cited in the supplied material, 23 Palestinians have been killed and more than 1,100 injured in settler attacks in the West Bank since the start of 2026. More than 1,600 attacks resulting in Palestinian casualties or property damage were recorded between January and August.
Several European countries have also announced measures targeting goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The UK additionally accused Israeli settlers of “ethnic cleansing”, a characterisation Israel rejected as “outrageous”, while responding with measures including an order to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem.
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France, Canada and several other European countries have introduced similar measures on settlement goods, although critics have argued that the restrictions cover only a small proportion of Israeli exports.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
