Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a rare condemnation late Monday of settler violence in the occupied West Bank, describing arson attacks and riots by Jewish settlers as the work of “a handful of extremists” who do not represent the broader settler community. The statement came hours after masked settlers torched Palestinian homes and vehicles in the village of al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya, south of Nablus.

The rampage followed earlier clashes between far-right activists and Israeli security forces attempting to evacuate an illegal settlement outpost near the same area. After troops dismantled structures at the Evyatar outpost, hundreds of settlers reportedly regrouped and descended on nearby Palestinian villages in what rights groups labelled a “pogrom-style” assault.

Netanyahu stated he viewed the events “with utmost severity,” stressing that the perpetrators were “taking the law into their own hands” and vowed that those responsible would face the full weight of the law. His remarks mark one of the strongest public rebukes from the Israeli leader against settler violence during his current term.

Also Read: Netanyahu Rejects Statehood Path as Israel Pressures U.S. Ahead of UN Vote

Palestinian authorities reported at least seven homes and a dozen vehicles set ablaze, with residents forced to flee as settlers threw stones and fired live ammunition. The Israeli military confirmed it had deployed additional forces to the area and opened investigations into both the settler attacks and alleged excessive force during the outpost evacuation.

While Netanyahu’s condemnation was welcomed by some moderate voices, critics noted it stopped short of announcing concrete measures against rising settler violence, which has surged over 300 percent this year according to UN monitors. For many Palestinians, the prime minister’s words rang hollow against a backdrop of continued settlement expansion and impunity.

Also Read: #BreakingNews: Israeli Forces Kill 19-Year-Old Palestinian in Askar Refugee Camp Raid