Palestinian Family's Return Home Shattered by Settler Attack as Netanyahu Minimizes Violence

An Israeli soldier inspects the burnt interior of a house following the settler attack on the Tubasi family as they returned to the home they had been forced from. Two months after Israeli settlers forced them out of their house, the Palestinian family was finally able to return to their home overnight, only to be attacked by settlers once again.

More than 100 Israeli settlers were involved in Tuesday's attack on the Tubasi family, with some storming the house and setting it on fire. This incident is the latest in an almost daily occurrence of settler violence in the West Bank against Palestinians and sometimes Israeli armed forces too, an upsurge that has drawn increasing international condemnation.

The issue is also becoming a central focus of Israel's upcoming general election. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's main challenger, Gadi Eisenkot, has blamed the actions on a dangerous government policy.

Mahmoud Tubasi's home in Jalud, located in the northern West Bank, was first besieged by settlers early in the summer. After more than a month, he and his family were eventually forced out towards the end of July, Tubasi told CNN. Following multiple attempts to reclaim his home through legal means, Tubasi was informed by the body coordinating between Israeli authorities and Palestinian security officials that he could finally return.

Escorted back by Israeli police and the Israeli military early Tuesday morning, the family passed the settlers who had previously taken over the home, now camped in a tent outside. The house itself was in disarray. Video filmed by Tubasi's son and shared with CNN shows debris scattered on the floor, doors and appliances smashed, and walls left with large, jagged holes.

Shortly after, over 100 settlers stormed the house, attacking the family and police officers inside, and forcing them to leave. The settlers then set fire to the building and the family car. Nearby residents videoed the scene from the base of the hill, capturing the house engulfed in flames with smoke pouring into the night sky. Footage shot later at daybreak showed the house gutted, charred, and blackened from the inside out.

In a statement, the Israeli military said soldiers and police forces worked to disperse Israeli rioters and protect the residents of the area. Two suspects had been apprehended after more than 100 Israelis blocked roads, set tires on fire, and hurled rocks toward security forces. Three border police officers sustained light injuries, and a security forces vehicle was damaged in the attack, the statement added, noting that the security establishment strongly condemns any harm to security personnel carrying out their duties, as well as acts of vandalism and property damage.

A US State Department spokesperson told CNN they were aware of these reports and are in regular dialogue with partners about improving stability and security in the West Bank. The spokesperson added that they condemn criminal violence by any party in the West Bank and support appropriate investigations, legal accountability, and judicial processes for those responsible.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, continued to minimize the daily settler attacks, describing them as the work of a handful of rioters. He condemned the violent riots overnight while making no mention of the attacks on Palestinians, addressing only those directed at security forces. He stated that the handful of rioters do not represent the law-abiding settler community in Judea and Samaria, using the biblical name for the West Bank.

Conversely, his main challenger in next month's election, Gadi Eisenkot, pointedly criticized the current administration. He stated that this represents anarchy and a loss of control that has reached new heights under the current government, arguing that the reality is a direct result of a dangerous policy rather than a malfunction or mistake.

Local residents report that the settlers who carried out the attack in Jalud overnight belong to the same group that besieged the home of a Palestinian-American in the neighboring village of Qusra last month. These settlers have established an illegal outpost in the area and have attacked Palestinians almost daily. Dozens of illegal Israeli settler outposts have been rubber-stamped by the Israeli government over the past three years.

Israeli settlement watchdog organization Peace Now criticized the Israeli government's double standards, stating that the perpetrators are a large and organized Jewish terror militia backed and funded by the government, operating from legalized outposts and farms.