Shekels For Extremists: Israel To Fund Radical Settlers

The Israeli government reportedly plans to fund members of the extremist settler group “Hilltop Youth” to the tune of 5.5 million shekels ($1.9 million).

These settlers are generally violent military-aged men who harass locals, according to reports.

“The movement, which takes its roots in religious Zionism, is largely composed of Israeli settlers aged between 16 and 26. The group’s members opt to leave their homes, abandoning their education or work, to live in hilltop outposts overlooking Palestinian communities while harassing locals. The settler violence has been on the rise in the West Bank since the surprise attack on Israel by Hamas in October 2023, which triggered a major conflict in Gaza,” RT said Tuesday.

According to reports, members of the group have been associated with alleged murders and arson attacks throughout the years, yet face almost no repercussions from Israeli authorities.

“Founded in the late 1990s, the group has been operating in the West Bank and maintaining a network of illegal outposts in the occupied Palestinian territories. Over the years, the Hilltop Youth has been involved in numerous violent incidents against Palestinians, including arson and murder, with almost complete impunity. The group, which is believed to have fewer than 1,000 active members, was recognized as an extremist entity and sanctioned by the EU and the US Office of Foreign Assets Control back in 2024,” RT said.

The funds will be distributed through monthly stipends, totaling about $550 per month per settler, according to the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth daily in a report Monday.

“The Israeli government is now seeking to provide stipends to the members of the group to cover food, clothes, and other basic necessities, the Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported on Monday, citing a document issued by far-right Settlement and National Missions Minister Orit Strock. The ministry has identified more than 650 youths living in hilltop outposts across the West Bank who are eligible for the program,” RT said. “The members of the group will receive about $550 per month under the program starting in June, according to the newspaper. The plan involves allocating nearly $2 million to bankroll the program until the end of the year.”

While Israel is mulling the funding of violent extremist groups, the U.S. continues funding the Jewish State and is set to merge with the Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan, section 224 of the National Defense Authorization Act.