American-Israeli rabbi and human rights campaigner ‘attacked by settlers’ in West Bank

An American-born Israeli rabbi and human rights campaigner was allegedly attacked by Jewish settlers during a visit to the West Bank earlier this month.

Arik Ascherman, who founded Torat Tzedek (Torah of Justice) in 2017, said he was targeted by settlers in the Palestinian village of Mukhmas while he was carrying out protective duty in the area, around 7pm local time on June 11.

Ascherman documented the incident on his Facebook page. (Rabbi Arik Ascherman)[Missing Credit]

Speaking to the JC, Ascherman described how he was called by a Palestinian from the village alerting him to gunfire from the settlers.

Upon arrival, Ascherman claimed he and his group were attacked by a gang of six settlers who beat him with a rifle butt and a large club, breaking his neck and his back in two places. Two of his volunteers allegedly had their elbows broken.

When Ascherman and his team attempted to leave the scene to get to hospital, he said the road was blocked by “settlers in uniform” – those who had acquired uniforms and weapons through reserve duty in the IDF during the war in Gaza.

A video shared on his Facebook showed Ascherman with his face covered in blood, attempting to flee the scene in his car, only to find the road blocked by a van.

Another clip shows him on the ground, covered in blood, saying: “No one is helping.”

When the IDF arrived at the scene, military officials allegedly made no effort to clear the road. But Ascherman was treated by an IDF medic and made his way to the Shaare Zedek Medical Centre, a large hospital in Jerusalem, where he was given a neck brace and had metal plates put into his scalp.

Ascherman in hospital following the incident. (Rabbi Arik Ascherman)[Missing Credit]

The members of Torat Tzedek said they reported the incident to the Binyamin Police station.

The shooting allegedly happened at one of the outposts – an unauthorised, illegal settlement – near Mukhmas, where a Palestinian resident’s car was reportedly burnt by settlers.

A car that was reportedly burnt at the scene[Missing Credit]

“When we got there, there was live fire going on and some of the youth from the village were exchanging rocks with the settlers,” Ascherman said.

“It was all taking place on land which the Israeli DCO (the District Coordination and Liaison Office) had already made very clear was private Palestinian land.”

Since the Hamas-led massacre on October 7, 2023, Ascherman claims an increasing number of illegal outposts have been established in the West Bank, driving out between 35 to 75 Palestinian shepherding communities.

He was told to wear a neck brace for two weeks following the attack (Rabbi Arik Ascherman)[Missing Credit]

 

According to the rabbi, settlers have established their own agricultural systems to appropriate farmland.

He said: “You just need a few sheep and a few tents and a few settlers. The grazing needs of the settler sheep take priority over the grazing needs of the Palestinian sheep. And when you cannot get to your grazing lands, people are sometimes forced to economically – in addition to violence – just give up the ghost and sell their flocks and move away.”

This is a phenomenon occurring in Mukhmas, Ascherman claimed.

“Almost every day, the settlers are here with their flocks, going between the homes, intimidating families. The women and children have moved out, and just the men have stayed to try to fight for their homes.

“While that's going on, the surrounding outposts have also been sending their cows and sheep and people into the olive groves and the fields of the village itself.”

Ascherman said that in the 30 years he has been offering protecting duty in the West Bank, he and his volunteers have never felt “so marginalised”.

“Sometimes there has been a majority supporting us, sometimes a significant minority, even if people were talking the talk without walking a walk. But today, we are a small minority,” he said.

He said many factors have contributed towards settlers being able to gain dominance in the West Bank and act with impunity – including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, the October 7 attack, and the re-election of US President Donald Trump.

“The settlers feel that no matter what they do, they are untouchable,” he said. “That they have nothing to fear, nothing to worry about, and they will pay no consequences for continuing to be violent and continuing to expel Palestinians from their homes.”

“We are totally alone now.”

In November 2023, Israeli investigative journalist Ilana Dayan reported for Channel 12 that the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, had instructed the police to abstain from enforcement on Israelis involved in violence in the West Bank.

According to Ascherman, in the wake of a similar incident in nearby Mughayyir al-Deir in May, settlers came to Mukhmas and said: “You’re next.”

Ascherman and his volunteers from Torat Tzedek are now based in the town permanently. “They’ve threatened people directly that they will murder them and burn their homes if they don’t leave,” he said.

Often, the settlers come to pray in the village before breaking up and entering Palestinian homes, and ripping up bags of Palestinian feed for gazing animals, he added.

Despite reporting the incident to the police and visiting the station, he said he has little faith that any arrests will be made.

“It’s very unlikely and very unusual for settlers ever to be arrested, ever to be indicted, or ever to be convicted,” he claimed.

One Palestinian from Mukhmas, who preferred to stay anonymous, told the JC that keeping hold of photographic and video evidence of attacks is difficult, because the IDF search his phone and he believes he will be penalised for carrying evidence.

Ascherman claimed it is the duty of EU countries and the UK to be more forceful with sanctions aimed at removing illegal outposts. “Unless the international community does what is necessary to make it clear to Israel that this is unacceptable, the situation is only going to continue.”

A spokesperson from the IDF told the JC: “On June 11, 2025, a report was received regarding several Palestinians who threw stones at an Israeli shepherd near Ma'ale Michmash, in the Binyamin Regional Brigade area.

“Subsequently, a violent confrontation developed between dozens of Palestinians accompanied by Israeli civilians and dozens of other Israeli civilians near the village of Mukhamas, within the brigade's jurisdiction.

“The confrontation included stone-throwing and mutual physical assaults. As a result, an Israeli civilian accompanying the Palestinians was lightly injured and received medical treatment at the scene.

“Upon receiving the report, IDF and Israel Police forces arrived at the scene and dispersed the confrontation.

“The mission of the IDF is to maintain the security of all residents of the area, and to act to prevent terrorism and activities that endanger the citizens of the State of Israel.

“In situations where soldiers fail to adhere to IDF orders, the incidents are thoroughly reviewed, and disciplinary actions are implemented accordingly.”

The JC contacted the Israel Police Headquarters and the Prime Minister’s Office for comment.