IDF Hotline for Settler Violence Fails, Civilians Left Without Help
Israel’s military hotline for settler violence is nonfunctional, leaving civilians without a reliable reporting mechanism.
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The Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) hotline, meant to address instances of Israeli settler violence in the West Bank, has reportedly become nonfunctional, leaving civilians, including journalists and diplomats, without a reliable way to report such incidents, according to Israeli outlet Haaretz.
The issue was raised by the High Court of Justice last Thursday, following a petition from the legal aid group Yesh Din. Before a recent attack on European diplomats by masked settlers, a report about a violent group of Israeli settlers reached the operations room of the West Bank-based Benjamin Brigade, but the brigade did not respond, according to Haaretz.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit told Haaretz that the operations room is intended to receive reports from security personnel only, not civilians. It responds only to authorized personnel, who are not civilians. Other centers are designated to receive complaints from civilians, the statement said.
Heidi Levine, photojournalist for @wapo suffered serious injuries from vicious & cowardly attack. Heidi is US Citizen, clear ID as journalist. Details of who under investigation, but those who attacked unarmed reporter should spend YRS in prison. We have called for a full investigation, arrest, and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law to whoever participated in this. Attacking a female photographer is despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards. Dishonorable act of senseless violence.
Civilians allege there is no functional mechanism for reporting settler violence. Previously, Palestinians could contact the Civil Administration’s “humanitarian cell,” before its discontinuation. Yesh Din and other legal aid organizations were told to direct urgent requests to the District Coordination and Liaison Office or IDF’s regional operations rooms. However, after the 2023 Israel-Hamas War began, regional operations rooms began telling callers they could not receive information from civilians.
The Civil Administration hotline and the public inquiries officer of Central Command—two other military channels—operate only several hours per day, open only Sunday through Thursday. One of these hotlines directs callers to an email address. The other sparsely replies, and its replies often amount to callers being told the hotline is unable to help. Palestinian phone numbers cannot call the police emergency hotline at 100, and there are often no Arabic speakers available, the outlet reported.
Additionally, police require IDF escorts into the areas with the heaviest concentration of settler violence. The Palestinian police force has no authority to address the issue, according to Haaretz.
After the High Court intervened in 2024, a hotline staffed by a single operator was established. However, the phone number was not made public to Palestinians. The state claimed it was working to improve its communication and response system. However, some military hotlines now play a voicemail saying they have been disconnected, Yesh Din alleges.
“The military commander found no reason to change the existing channels for reporting emergency incidents or to establish an additional way to contact a military official directly,” the state responded to the High Court per Haaretz.
The IDF is responsible for responding to reports from both settlers and Palestinians. However, without a feasible manner for them to receive complaints from non-settlers or security officials, they are only able to operate on the settlers’ accounts.
“The reason the distress calls from activists in the village of Taybeh were ignored is that the army’s operations room is willing to receive information about emergencies and respond to them only when settlers call,” Yesh Din attorney Roni Peli told Haaretz. “Palestinians, activists, journalists and diplomats have no way to call for help, and the army refuses to take responsibility for their security.”
Source: Daily Caller
