In late February 2023, two brothers from the Jewish Israeli community of Har Bracha were shot and killed at point-blank range as their car was stuck in traffic in the Palestinian town of Huwara.
Hours after the terrorist attack, hundreds of Jewish Israelis from nearby communities rampaged through Huwara and neighboring Palestinian villages, throwing rocks, setting fire to property and reportedly killing one Palestinian man.
In the days that followed this rampage, Israeli and global Jewish organizations from across the political spectrum condemned the violence as Israeli security forces began to detain those primarily responsible for the riot.
The violence in Huwara – in response to the 2 Israelis murdered by a Palestinian earlier that day – is unacceptable & the perpetrators must be held accountable.
We commend the IDF who quelled the violence & rescued innocent Palestinians from the fire and fighting. pic.twitter.com/1Vyyp0n73D
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) February 27, 2023
Recently, The Forward’s Arno Rosenfeld visited Huwara to explore how the town has fared since February and what the future holds for the Palestinians of Huwara and their Jewish neighbors.
However, rather than present his readers with a balanced piece of journalism, Rosenfeld’s report resorts to gross generalizations that glamorize Huwara while demonizing Israeli security efforts in the region.
Huwara: ‘A Very Sweet Town’
Throughout this piece, Rosenfeld uses quotes and descriptive terms that seem to portray Huwara as an idyllic town threatened by the violent Jewish extremists who live in surrounding communities.
Huwara is described as “a very sweet town” where its residents, who are “accustomed to…provocations from the Israelis who live nearby,” hope for a “return to more peaceful times.”
With his description of candy shops along Route 60 (a major thoroughfare that passes through the center of Huwara), a modern resort full of amenities on the edge of town and family restaurants offering delicious local Palestinian fare, one would be shocked to discover that Rosenfeld is actually describing a locale that has been referred to as “one of the most dangerous towns in Samaria.”
True, Rosenfeld does make passing mention of Huwara’s reputation among Israeli commuters as dangerous but seems to downplay its severity, claiming that Israelis and Palestinians are “periodically exposed” to violence in the area due to its infamous traffic congestion.
Additionally, Rosenfeld asserts that Israelis and Palestinians don’t agree on the cause of certain violent incidents in Huwara, seemingly calling into question the nature of the violence that plagues the area.
Related Reading: Does The Media Define ‘Murder’ & ‘Terrorism’ Differently for Israelis?
But contrary to Rosenfeld’s sympathetic portrait of Huwara, the truth is much more complex and bloody.
Due to its location along Route 60, a major highway that connects the northern and southern West Bank, Israelis living in a number of neighboring communities must travel through Huwara in order to get home.
With traffic jams a common occurrence as the road passes through Huwara, Palestinian terrorists are provided with the perfect opportunity to ambush both Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers traveling through the town. .
Before the terrorist attack that preempted the rampage in February, a number of serious attacks against Israelis had occurred in Huwara that contributed to its reputation. These include:
- April 4, 2019: A Palestinian attempted to stab two Israelis as they drove through Huwara.
- May 20, 2020: A Palestinian opened fire on a passing Israeli vehicle at the entrance to Huwara.
- May 24, 2022: Three Israelis (including two children) were wounded in a stone-throwing attack in Huwara.
- September 19, 2022: An Israeli car was fired upon as it drove through Hawara.
- October 27, 2022: Palestinians opened fire on Israeli soldiers standing guard in Hawara.
- December 2, 2022: A Border Police officer was stabbed by a Palestinian in Huwara.
- February 23, 2023: Three Israeli children were lightly wounded in a stone-throwing attack in Huwara.
The above are just some of the violent anti-Israel attacks that have taken place in Huwara over the past few years.
This list does not touch upon the complete picture of violence within Huwara, which includes constant stone-throwing attacks against Israeli vehicles traveling through the town, public celebrations of deadly Palestinian terror attacks, glorification of Palestinian terrorists in the local schools and incitement to terrorism on local social media networks.
Related Reading: A Year of Palestinian Violence: The Numbers Behind the Headlines
In his description of Huwara post-February, Rosenfeld mentions in passing just one attack against Israeli soldiers in March 2023, while focusing on the continued angst felt among the local Arab inhabitants.
This leaves the impression that violence against Israelis has subsided in Huwara while the locals are still under threat from the surrounding Jewish communities.
To convey this impression regarding anti-Israel violence, Rosenfeld makes no mention of the fact that in the months after the riot, violence against Israelis has continued to occur, including a much-publicized shooting attack on an American-Israeli couple as they drove through the town.
For Rosenfeld, it seems that the story of Huwara is one of perpetual Palestinian victimhood in the face of Israeli aggression.
In order to successfully convey this narrative, Rosenfeld relies on omissions and misrepresentations of fact that leave his readers woefully misinformed.
Update: The American-#Israeli who was critically wounded in today's terror attack in Huwara committed by a #Palestinian terrorist is David Stern, a former US Marine. David is currently being treated for his injuries in the hospital.#StandAgainstTerror
📸: IDF pic.twitter.com/U1uRJsatqm
— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) March 19, 2023
‘With Guns Trained on Motorists’: The Forward’s Portrayal of the IDF in Huwara
At the same time that Rosenfeld glamorizes Huwara, he also takes the opportunity to demonize Israeli security efforts in the area.
Rosenfeld bemoans the fact that Israel is planning on building a bypass road that will divert traffic away from Huwara as this will harm local business (both Israelis and Palestinians patronize businesses in Huwara).
While acknowledging that the bypass is being developed as a response to the high rate of anti-Israel violence in the area, Rosenfeld seems more concerned for the perceived economic well-being of Huwara’s residents than the life and safety of both local Israelis and Palestinians.
Related Reading: Obstacle to Peace? Palestinian Authority Approves ‘Terrorists-only’ Settlement
Rosenfeld also takes issue with the IDF’s conduct in Huwara since the February riot, claiming that “soldiers are now posted along the main road with guns trained on motorists” and that there has been a reduction in Palestinians visiting Huwara due to the increase in enforcement at the local checkpoint.
While the IDF has increased its presence in Huwara since February, and this extra vigilance may cause delays for those trying to reach the Palestinian town, Rosenfeld only portrays what he views as the negative side of the IDF’s presence in the area.
Rosenfeld fails to inform his readers that the increase in IDF presence in Huwara is part of an attempt to de-escalate the tensions in the area and that the upgrading of security enforcement is meant to provide safe passage for those traveling through the town.
This de-escalation and increase in security will ultimately benefit both Israelis and Palestinians as it will provide Israelis with a sense of safety when traveling through the beleaguered Palestinian town and will provide a more open atmosphere for local businesses to thrive in.
Related Reading: Backgrounder: 5 ‘New’ Terror Groups Threatening West Bank Intifada
In misrepresenting the reality on the ground in Huwara, Rosenfeld and The Forward do a disservice to their readers.
To grasp the situation in Huwara before and after the violent events of February 2023, one must have an understanding of the nuances and complexity that exist within the region, not the simplistic narrative that is presented in this piece.
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