Herzog condemns settler violence as ‘morally shameful’ in response to diaspora letter
President tells global Jewish signatories attacks “strike at the very foundations” of Israel and must be urgently addressed
Israel’s president Isaac Herzog has issued a firm response to diaspora Jewish leaders, condemning extremist settler violence as a violation of Israel’s core values and pledging action to uphold the rule of law.
In a letter sent from Jerusalem this month, Herzog thanked the signatories for raising concerns about recent attacks in the West Bank, saying he shares their alarm over what he described as a surge in violence by extremist elements.
“I share your conviction that these acts of violence stand in stark contradiction to the values upon which Israel was founded,” he wrote, adding that such incidents “strike at the very foundations of our society and our shared history.”
The president stressed that Jewish ethical tradition places a central emphasis on the sanctity of human life, warning that harming innocent people undermines both the rule of law and Israel’s moral standing.
He said he had raised the issue directly with security and law enforcement officials, calling on them to use “all available means” to bring perpetrators to justice and bring an “immediate end to this unacceptable phenomenon.”
Herzog added that a country governed by law “cannot tolerate violence and vigilantism”, describing such acts as not only harmful to victims but also damaging to Israel’s broader security efforts.
“It is not only a shameful crime against innocents,” he wrote, “it also interferes with the unceasing efforts of military and security agents to contend with clear and present Palestinian terror threats in the region.”
The president also warned that violence by Jewish extremists risks strengthening Israel’s detractors and endangering Jews globally, saying it “plays directly into the hands of Israel’s detractors, fuelling hatred that weakens us as a nation and jeopardises Jews everywhere.”
Referencing the approaching festival of Pesach, Herzog framed the issue in moral and historical terms, recalling the story of Moses as a model of standing up against injustice.
“On the eve of Passover, we are reminded that Moses’s first act of leadership was a moral one – standing up for justice in the face of violence against the innocent,” he wrote.
He concluded by emphasising the need for fair and consistent enforcement of the law to ensure “the safety and wellbeing of all the residents of the area”, and thanked the signatories for their sense of shared responsibility.
The response follows a high-profile letter from more than 1,000 diaspora Jewish figures urging Herzog to press the Israeli government to act decisively against what they termed “Jewish-extremist terror” in the West Bank.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
