Israeli Settler Militias Within IDF Escalate West Bank Violence Against Palestinians
Palestinian farmers in Burqa, near Ramallah, were recently seen covering their heads from stun grenades as Israeli troops denied them access to harvest olives. This incident is part of a broader pattern of escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, where settler-only Israeli Defence Forces units are reportedly functioning as vigilante militias.
Regional Defence Units: A New Era of Militarised Settlers
Since October 2023, Israel has established hagmar, or regional defence units, across the West Bank. These units were created as conscripts and the standing army prepared to deploy to Gaza, handing weapons and authority to thousands of settlers with minimal oversight. According to Israeli soldiers and activists, along with United Nations reports, these units have become vehicles for violent settlers to intensify their campaign against Palestinians.
Yaakov, an Israeli reservist who served in the West Bank in 2024, described the hagmar as "armed militias doing what they want". He noted that while formally under battalion command, these units operate with a free hand on the ground, with senior commanders often looking the other way during incidents. His unit frequently arrived at scenes where settler reservists were already present, sometimes participating in attacks on Palestinians.
Daily Violence and Structural Complicity
The violence witnessed includes vandalism of homes, destruction of trees and agricultural produce, theft of livestock, intimidation, and reckless weapons handling. In more extreme cases, hagmar forces have been implicated in killings, such as the death of an elderly Palestinian man and running over another with an all-terrain vehicle.
Nadav Weiman, executive director of Breaking the Silence, stated that the hagmar system has led to "the establishment of what are effectively settler militias within the IDF's own ranks". These soldier-settlers, driven by a violent ideology, wield the authority of regular IDF soldiers to enact their agendas.
The Israeli military acknowledged "a few incidents" where regional defence unit reservists acted below expected standards but claimed these do not represent the majority. Some reservists have been removed from duty, and criminal investigations have been opened in certain cases.
Blurred Lines and Forced Displacement
Yehuda Shaul, co-director of the Ofek thinktank, highlighted a profound structural change post-October 2023: "The settlers are the IDF, the IDF are settlers, there's no pretence of a buffer." This complicity has resulted in increased forced transfers of Palestinian communities. UN data shows that settler attacks have completely displaced 29 Palestinian communities since October 2023, compared to four communities in the preceding 21 months.
A UN report warned that the "growing phenomenon of 'settler-soldiers'" is further blurring the line between state and settler violence. The irregular dress code of hagmar units, mixing military uniforms with civilian clothes, adds to the confusion, making it unclear whether attackers are acting as soldiers or private individuals.
Weapon Proliferation and Command Confusion
Since October 2023, the proliferation of weapons in the West Bank has exacerbated the situation. About 120,000 weapons were distributed to Israeli citizens in the first year of the war, according to far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. This, combined with the irregular uniforms of hagmar members, makes it difficult for even serving Israeli soldiers to identify the chain of command.
Moshe, another Israeli soldier deployed to the West Bank, described the "vigilante feel" of these units, noting that they often do not wear full uniforms during military missions. This ambiguity was illustrated in an incident where a hagmar member, Elyashiv Nahum, changed into uniform after being challenged by activists, with a commander asserting his authority regardless of appearance.
Operational Influence and Escalation
Hagmar units, though not new, have been activated on an unprecedented scale since the Hamas-led attacks of October 2023. While conventional reservist units outnumber them in the West Bank, the settlers' presence is more strongly felt on the ground. Their local knowledge often leads regular soldiers to defer to them, sometimes granting them effective command authority.
Yaakov observed that the presence of hagmar units has caused a clear escalation in attacks on Palestinians, with settlers initiating confrontations. He noted that "the violent conduct came only from one side", with Palestinians largely unable to fight back. The recruitment of settlers with criminal records for violence into these units has further entrenched impunity, allowing extreme ideologies to be enacted under the guise of state authority.
As these developments continue, the integration of settler militias within the IDF represents a significant shift in the dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, raising serious concerns about human rights and accountability in the occupied territories.
