Settlers, sanctions and impunity

[ISRAEL SETTLER VIOLENCE AND IMPUNITY: SANCTIONS FALL SHORT OF ADDRESSING COLONIAL FRAMEWORK]

Between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2025, Israeli settlers were responsible for killing 61 Palestinians and injuring 3,778. The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel highlights that Israeli authorities recognize settler violence as a persistent issue but actively sustain the structural conditions enabling it.

A recent report outlines the overt nature of settler violence, including self-proclaimed attacks to advance the “Greater Israel” agenda, claims of unprovoked aggression against Palestinians, and systematic indoctrination of children through families and settler organizations. The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, dismisses incidents as acts of “unruly youth,” while settlement expansion policies directly facilitate ongoing violence and impunity. The report identifies Israeli officials and settler leaders who have expressly sanctioned or endorsed violence as a strategic tool.

As the UK, France, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway impose sanctions on entities linked to settler activities, the Commission’s report contextualizes these measures within Israel’s entrenched colonial framework. In response, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein stated, “The real essence of these steps is the attempt to impose a political stance regarding the right of Jews to settle in the Land of Israel and concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – camouflaged as measures against violence.”

The sanctions, however, only address symptoms rather than root causes. The Commission emphasizes that Israeli institutions have embedded structural protections for settler violence. Netanyahu’s spokesperson underscores how colonial infrastructure ensures settler actions contribute to Palestinian displacement, stating, “Without settler violence contributing to the forced displacement of the Palestinian people, Israel would have a difficult time maintaining its structure.”

Targeting settlers with sanctions simply encourages Israel to provide more impunity for those doing its work on the ground, while the Israeli government continues with settlement construction.

The report critiques the international focus on punitive measures against individuals and networks rather than systemic accountability. It notes the blurring line between settlers and soldiers, citing the formation of regional brigades under National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who authorized gun licenses. Colonial policies increasingly empower settlers, rendering sanctions on isolated actors ineffective against systemic expansion.

Global diplomatic efforts remain fragmented, treating Israeli settler-colonialism as a localized issue detached from broader expansionist strategies. The Commission argues that sanctions must instead dismantle the colonial framework sustaining settler violence to curb systemic growth.

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