Should the international community sanction Israel over settler violence in West Bank?

In a sense I can empathise with the press here, as it is my instinct to sympathise with Israel, as a Jew of a certain age.

I spent a month there as a late teenager, travelling around and meeting vague relatives and friends of the family. I have rarely been to a more hospitable country and the people I stayed with weren’t racist in the least.

i also wandered through East Jerusalem in the Arab quarter and was equally made to feel welcome.

It is tragic that I have to now acknowledge that Israel today is nothing like it was then and the hostile muscular settlers are a very different breed to the well educated people I spent time with, and that Netanyahu is becoming increasingly racist and autocratic.

I think it takes time for people (including the media) to change their allegiances. Where some see conspiracy, I just see old habits taking time to break.

It would be an awful shame if this thread, about settler violence, which is happening, and is being increasingly reported in all MSM, declined into antisemitic tropes.

Who are these Israelis who ‘control’ global media? And how would they do it in wealthy countries with a free media? They can’t pay a few million quid and control multi billion corporations. The reality is that some posters are thinking of some shadowy cabal of Jews who somehow run all the instruments of state. And that really isn’t on.

Israel don’t even control their own media! Look how many Haaretz and Times of Israel articles are linked to on here criticising the Israeli government. Again, I know that the press is losing its freedom under Netanyahu, especially regarding access.

I am not denying that Israel has an effective lobby and seek to influence how they are seen in the world via this lobby. But, virtually all regimes do this these days. Israel doesn’t have some magic power that Saudi Arabia doesn’t (for instance).

I suspect that most media still supports Israel (up to a point) as they are used to it. But, there is plenty of MSM highly critical of Israel and their government. And when the story turns (as I think it is starting to now) you will be amazed how fast and how far it will turn. (What Private eye would term a ‘reverse ferret’).

The same guy who blamed Israel for 9/11? And who formed the CNI alongside a Holocaust denier? No thanks.

Absolutely! If you've never read "Those who dared to speak out" or something like that, by Senator Paul Findley you should. This has been going on since the 80's.

@rainingsnoring ,

I do think that it is really important to stick to facts here (of which there are plenty) and not spread anti Israeli (and close to antisemitic) conspiracy theories.

There is zero meaningful evidence that Israel had anything to do with Ceuta. The most credible explanation is the (Islamic) opposition parties in Morocco wanting to embarrass the government, especially as Spain were getting closer to Algeria.

It is similar to another conspiracy theory a friend of mine was absolutely convinced was true about Netanyahu threatening Spain with sabotage. Again, didn’t happen.

I always think that if I can’t find two reputable mainstream media sources for a story, these days it is probably fake news.

Are you reliant on any of these drugs, where a shortage - even a temporary one - could have an impact on your health? If it results in a cost to the NHS which leads to more cuts would that impact you at all? It's easy to talk about how simple it would be to change supplier when your health or even life isn't on the line.

Because playing politics is more important to them than any sort of moral code or international law. Also, Israel would retaliate. Look what they have done to the Spanish in Ceuta bcause the Spanish PM spoke out against the Israeli genocide.

There is little point in unilaterally sanctioning Israel. It would just be expensive virtue signalling.

The sanctions need to be something that Israel cares about and is prepared to change policy over, as happened with South Africa.

Ultimately, the U.S also has to get behind them.

I do think Israel has gone too far, though. Even newspapers like the Telegraph are carrying stories of settler harassment and land grabs. That would have been unthinkable a few months ago.

The below is what should be scaring Netanyahu. Support for Israel (as is now) will vanish if the democrats get in, and it is even dropping significantly among republican voters.

www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/2/27/us-citizens-support-for-israel-at-historic-low-over-gaza-genocide-poll

Not easily, that is the problem. There are replacements but it could result in shortages and disruptions to prescription drug supplies even though temporarily. It may also increase costs and you how our governments feel about that. It's actually short sighted that we haven't already sourced alternative supply chains. Having said that, I don't think that is the reason we haven't sanctioned.

I have resorted to AI:

‘UK is not critically or uniquely dependent on Israel for any goods, resources, or technology that cannot be sourced or replaced elsewhere.’

If so, what’s the delay?

But they are easily replaceable.

Teva Pharmaceuticals is the major trade deal we are probably turning a blind eye for.

They supply 1 in 7 of the prescription drugs issued in the UK.
Loads of other medical equipment too.

I agree @Ellen2shoes. It’s a great idea. And let some people laugh.

Whenever I hear a government spokesperson from any Western Government talk about human rights, morality or the rule of international law I just laugh. It is so awful and hypocritical there is nothing else to do.

Everyone now using that reservoir is complicit in genocide.
I can see plenty of families in those photos.

Disgusting human behaviour.

I just can’t understand how the UK government continues to allow trade with these people, pathetically advising against trade deals, rather than implementing a full legislative ban.

Well, other than the puny targeting of a few individuals, which entirely avoids the Israeli state structures at the root of the actions.

We only assume that the transactional benefits supersede the moral codes that form the basis for human rights and international law? I wonder about the details - how much and for whom?

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/israeli-settlers-seize-palestinian-water-092333678.html

This is beyond sick. Starving out Palestinians and having fun while doing it. As a farmer said, a bullet might kill one person but cutting off the water kills an entire community.

Here he is on the ground trying to feed the innocent family that are being terrorized . . .

https://www.facebook.com/reel/878047542055139

What a brave guy @IHateShein . The risks are huge for him.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1373379918322635

They are a bunch of vile, violent cunts and should all be behind bars by now.

But they are the little golden children of Netanyahu carrying out his dirty work, so they can do no wrong.

Perhaps we should all stop referring to them as ‘settlers’. They are terrorists and thieves.

Someone on mn once referred to their vile actions as ‘settler antics’ as though they’re a band of court jesters. Defining the perpetrators of terrorism as ‘settlers’ is a way of diminishing and understating the brutality of their role in the occupation.

The UK government would surely feel more obliged to sanction trade deals with ‘terrorists’ than they would with ‘settlers’ ….

https://www.trackisraellobby.uk

This shows which MPs have received donations from a variety of pro Israel sources. It is not a huge amount of money (only just over £1 mil in total, but you do have to ask what the donations are buying.

I do find it extraordinary the way settler violence is tolerated by the U.S and Europe.