Sir Ephraim Mirvis said the phenomenon ‘deserves to be called out’, but that the ‘best way’ members of the Diaspora can help to combat it is to ‘live in Israel’
January 12, 2026 14:48
The Chief Rabbi has condemned settler violence, saying the phenomenon “deserves to be called out,” during a recent podcast appearance.
Speaking on Boundless Insights with Aviva Klompas, Sir Ephraim Mirvis accused settlers of “unlawfully” attacking “innocent Palestinians in the territories”, something he sees as “exacerbated when carried out in the name of religion”.
The episode, which focused on the aftermath of December’s Bondi Beach massacre, saw Mirvis denouncing misinformation around the Israel-Hamas conflict, saying: “How we feel about it is inspired by our knowledge of the situation.”
He specifically cited settler violence in the West Bank as an “example” of “something I’m not quite proud of” when discussing relations between the British Jewish community and Israel.
He added: “In general, we can indeed stand tall and we should, because once we know the facts, we’ve got everything to be proud of."
Settler violence in the West Bank has increased steadily since 2023. In February of that year, an aggressive riot in the Arab village of Huwara left hundreds injured and one dead.
Such incidents have helped to provoke global accusations of genocide against Israel, something the Chief Rabbi argued ‘trivialises’ the term.
Last year saw at least 704 incidents of “nationalistic crime” recorded by authorities in Israel, compared to 675 in all of 2024, as well as a similar series of anti-Israeli terror attacks in the territories.
The prosecution rate for such attacks remains stubbornly low, while some members of the Netanyahu government have openly backed the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, though most have equally condemned violent acts perpetrated by those already here.
Mirvis’ comments on Boundless Insights follow those of Prime Minister Netanyahu himself, who criticised “extremist” activity in the Palestinian territories.
Other officials, such as IDF chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar have also weighed in, with the latter stating last year that “Jewish rioters…harm the State of Israel” and “cause damage to the settlement project”.
Following his comments, Mirvis was asked by Klompas about the “balance” between “speaking out” and avoiding contributing to unfair criticism of the Jewish people globally.
“Whenever Jewish people…criticise the state of Israel it is taken full advantage of by our enemies”, he replied.
But he added that the “best way” to “improve the situation” is “to live in Israel”.
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