Empowered after Oct. 7, IDF settler units are terrorizing Palestinians, critics say

Key Points:

• Since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank has surged, with concerns that IDF reserve units known as "Hagmar," staffed by local settlers, are implicated in or enabling this violence.
• Hagmar units, tasked with security in their communities, blur the lines between civilian settlers and military personnel, often using military authority to perpetrate or fail to prevent violence against Palestinians, while largely escaping accountability due to legal ambiguities.
• Rights groups and Palestinians report repeated incidents of abuse, harassment, and excessive force by Hagmar soldiers, including unlawful detentions and violence, with investigations and prosecutions of such cases being rare or ineffective.
• The expansion of Hagmar units’ roles after October 7, including patrols and offensive operations in Palestinian areas, has not been matched by adequate training or oversight, exacerbating tensions and undermining law enforcement impartiality.
• Critics argue that the Israeli military and government tacitly support settler extremism by failing to hold Hagmar soldiers accountable, amid broader policies favoring settlement expansion, contributing to a climate of impunity and escalating conflict in the West Bank.