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Israeli soldiers are also settlers in West Bank: Al Jazeera investigation
An investigation found that some Israeli settlers involved in attacks on Palestinians later return in military uniform to enforce orders, blurring the distinction between attackers and security forces. The findings add to evidence cited by Palestinian communities and human rights groups that Israeli institutions support settler operations in the occupied West Bank.
In Tal, the investigation identified Yitzhak Levi Filant, who was filmed assaulting farmers in civilian clothes and later returning in uniform with a military-issued weapon. In a separate incident near Susya, settler gunfire killed Amir Shanaran and seriously wounded his cousin. The investigation says 14 of 63 Palestinians killed by settlers since 7 October 2023 were shot by people serving in the army or wearing military uniforms; it also reports that the military’s Regional Defence battalions have expanded sixfold since 2023.
In short
- Some settlers reportedly switch between civilian clothes and military uniforms.
- The investigation links uniformed attackers to Palestinian deaths.
- Regional Defence battalions have expanded sixfold since 2023.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The findings support concerns that overlapping roles between settlers and soldiers can undermine Palestinian safety and confidence in impartial enforcement, particularly where people accused of violence later return in uniform. The reported killings and expansion of Regional Defence battalions strengthen calls for accountability, clearer separation of civilian and military roles, and protection for communities in the occupied West Bank.
The case against
A careful assessment should distinguish documented individual conduct from claims about Israeli institutions as a whole, and establish what happened in each incident before drawing broader conclusions. Supporters of local defence arrangements may argue that soldiers serving in regional battalions provide security amid threats, while stressing that any abuse should be investigated and responsibility assigned on evidence.
Explained simply
The West Bank is territory captured by Israel in the 1967 war. Palestinians live there under Israeli military occupation, alongside Israeli settlements, which most countries consider illegal under international law; Israel disputes that view. The area is central to competing claims and to efforts to establish a Palestinian state.
Israeli soldiers enforce military orders in the West Bank, while settlers are Israeli civilians living in settlements. Some settlers also serve in the army, including in local defence units. Palestinian communities and human rights groups have raised concerns about violence by settlers and the role of Israeli authorities in protecting or supporting settlement activity.
The distinction between civilian settlers and security forces matters because each has different powers and responsibilities. When people appear to act in both roles, it can be harder to establish who was responsible for violence and how it was investigated.