Netanyahu condemns overnight riots in Samaria and harm to security forces

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned what he described as violent riots in Samaria during the previous night, including harm caused to members of the security forces who came to the scene. In a media statement published by the Israeli government on 29 September 2026, he said the forces had arrived to maintain law and order.

Netanyahu said the rioters were a small group who do not reflect the wider settler population, and he urged law enforcement authorities to pursue charges against them to "the full extent of the law." He also voiced full support for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Border Police, saying they work to thwart terror and keep security in the area.

What the prime minister said

The statement is brief and made up entirely of a quotation attributed to Netanyahu. It makes three points. First, it condemns the riots and the harm done to security personnel. Second, it separates those involved from the broader settler community, which the statement calls "law abiding" and says is wronged by the rioters' conduct. Netanyahu added that the rioters get in the way of the security forces carrying out their mission. Third, it expresses backing for the army and the Border Police and calls on the relevant authorities to prosecute those responsible.

According to the government release, Netanyahu described the people involved as a "handful of rioters." The statement does not name any individuals or groups.

Where Samaria is

Samaria is the name used in Israel, including in official Israeli government language, for the northern part of the West Bank. The phrase "Judea and Samaria," which also appears in the statement, is the term the Israeli government uses for the West Bank as a whole, with Judea referring to the southern part. Many readers outside Israel will more commonly encounter the name West Bank in international coverage. The area is home to Israeli settlements as well as a large Palestinian population, and its status is one of the central disputes in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Who the security forces are

The IDF is Israel's military. In the West Bank it carries overall responsibility for security. The Border Police is a unit of the Israel Police that is frequently deployed in the West Bank alongside the army, and it often handles public order situations such as riots and confrontations. When a statement refers to security forces arriving at a scene in the West Bank, it commonly means soldiers, Border Police officers, or both.

Why a statement like this matters

When an Israeli prime minister publicly condemns violence involving people from within the settler community and calls for prosecution, it signals the government's stated position on the incident. Netanyahu's wording draws a clear line between the rioters and settlers generally, framing the event as the actions of a few rather than of the community he describes as law abiding. The statement also places emphasis on backing the security services, which were, by his account, among those harmed.

The release was issued through the Prime Minister's Office channels on the government's official website and is categorised there as a media statement. It is a primary source for what the prime minister said, not an account of what happened on the ground.

What the statement does not say

The government release leaves most of the basic facts of the incident unstated. It does not say where in Samaria the riots took place, or name any settlement, village or road. It does not say who the rioters were, how many people took part, or what prompted the disturbance. The phrasing about the settler public suggests the prime minister was referring to people from within that community, but the statement does not say so directly.

• It does not say how many members of the security forces were hurt, how seriously, or whether anyone else was injured.
• It does not say whether any property was damaged or whether Palestinians were affected.
• It does not say whether anyone has been arrested, detained or questioned.
• It does not say whether the police or the army have opened an investigation.

This report is based on a single source, the government's own statement. No independent account of the events in Samaria was available in the material, so the description of the riots and their consequences rests on the prime minister's characterisation alone.