Shoot Palestinians, not settlers: Israeli general exposes double standard

Al Jazeera · 🇶🇦 public Qatar · May 06, 2026 · 941 words · By Simon Speakman Cordall

Israeli military policy Human rights violations Apartheid Allegations

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What to know about Israeli military policy

Shoot Palestinians, not settlers: Israeli general exposes double standard Leaked comments from the head of the Israeli army in the West Bank reveal two-tier firing policies and endemic prejudice.

Claims checked 12

Techniques found 4

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Right coverage

Left25%

Center75%

Right0%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Shoot Palestinians, not settlers: Israeli general exposes double standard Leaked comments from the head of the Israeli army in the West Bank reveal two-tier firing policies and endemic prejudice.

Why it matters

Major-General Avi Bluth, the Israeli commander with responsibility for the occupied West Bank, had not known his comments would be leaked when he boasted of the success of Israel’s policies in the occupied territory.

Common ground

The army, he claimed in undated comments published by the Israeli liberal daily Haaretz last week, was “killing like we haven’t killed since 1967″.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling, Appeal to Pity: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Israeli military policy story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich can describe an Israeli government with Palestinian members as a thousand times worse than the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023?
How does this story connect Israeli military policy with Human rights violations over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/6/shoot-palestinians-not-settlers-israeli-…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 4 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 90% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Name Calling / Labeling 85% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Appeal to Pity 80% confidence

Evoking sympathy to win support rather than using logical arguments.

Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to pity helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Exaggeration / Hyperbole 70% confidence

Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.

Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 12 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 6

info Single Source 2

schedule Pending 2

help Insufficient Evidence 2

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Claim 1: “Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich can describe an Israeli government with Palestinian members as a thousand times worse than the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023”

SINGLE SOURCE

The evidence provided for this claim consists of Wikipedia and Bible entries for 'Bezalel' (the biblical figure) and does not contain any information regarding Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's statements.

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web search NEUTRAL — In Exodus 31:1-6 and chapters 36 to 39, Bezalel, Bezaleel, or Betzalel (Hebrew: בְּצַלְאֵל, Bəṣalʼēl) was the chief artisan of the Tabernacle [1] and was in charge of building the Ark of the Covenant,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bezalel

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web search NEUTRAL — 31 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with k…
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+31&versi…

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web search NEUTRAL — Jan 21, 2026 · Two of these men God mentions by name: Bezalel from the tribe of Judah and Oholiab from the tribe of Dan. Bezalel in particular was filled with God’s Spirit (verses 31:2–3), a rare occu…
https://www.gotquestions.org/Bezalel-and-Oholiab.html

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Claim 2: “government ministers, such as Itamar Ben-Gvir, celebrate the passage of a death penalty law targeting Palestinians with noose-decorated cakes”

CORROBORATED

IBTimes UK, Quds News Network, and Palestine Chronicle all report that Itamar Ben-Gvir celebrated with cakes featuring nooses in relation to the death penalty law.

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web search NEUTRAL — Death Penalty Law Targeting Palestinians. The legislation that the noose celebrates was passed on 30 March 2026, when the Knesset voted 62 to 47, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu among those vot…
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/ben-gvir-birthday-party-death-pena…

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web search NEUTRAL — During the celebration, Ben-Gvir's wife, Ayala, presented him with a cake featuring an image of a golden noose and the words "Sometimes dreams come true." Ben-Gvir also wore a pin depicting a noose. I…
https://qudsnen.co/post?id=67662&slug=israels-ben-gvir-celeb…

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web search NEUTRAL — Key Developments. Itamar Ben-Gvir celebrated his birthday with cakes featuring execution nooses and political symbolism. The event reignited controversy surrounding Israeli law supporting the executio…
https://www.palestinechronicle.com/dreams-do-come-true-ben-g…

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Claim 3: “a month earlier, Israel again earned worldwide condemnation after it introduced legislation ushering in what several countries described as the “de facto annexation” of the occupied territory”

CORROBORATED

Al Jazeera and other sources report on legislation/measures introduced in February (specifically Feb 8 and Feb 15) described as 'de facto annexation'.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Israel’s plans, signed on February 15, will see registration introduced across Area C, which makes up about 60 percent of the West Bank’s territory, according to the illegal settlement monitoring orga…
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/24/nearly-20-countries…

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web search NEUTRAL — On Sunday, February 8, 2026, the so-called «Israeli security cabinet» approved a series of measures accelerating the illegal expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank and promoting policies t…
https://www.elciudadano.com/en/israels-unilateral-decisions-…

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web search NEUTRAL — Israel’s Annexation De Facto and De Jure of the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).
https://www.alhaq.org/cached_uploads/download/2021/05/25/qa-…

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Claim 4: “the military had killed 42 Palestinian stone-throwers in 2025”

CORROBORATED

Al Jazeera and another source (referenced as a quote in the second web result) specifically mention the figure of 42 Palestinian stone-throwers killed in 2025.

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web search NEUTRAL — “This [stone throwing] is terrorism, not popular or grassroots terrorism – there’s only popular [‘folk’] dancing,” Bluth said, adding that the military had killed 42 Palestinian stone-throwers in 2025…
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/6/shoot-palestinians-n…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 1,500 terrorists.""In 2025, we killed 42 Palestinians for throwing stones in the streets." Khademi had been appointed head of the IRGC’s intelligence arm in June 2025 following the killing of his pred…
https://en.yenisafak.com/reel/1513

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web search NEUTRAL — The Israeli army killed at least 42 Palestinians in the latest airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Friday, sources told Anadolu.Israel has killed nearly 61,900 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The…
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israeli-army-kills-42-p…

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Claim 5: “Israel was practising a two-tier firing policy, actively avoiding firing at Israeli settlers throwing stones at Israeli forces, while freely firing at Palestinians doing the same”

CORROBORATED

Al Jazeera and Truthout both report that Bluth admitted to a policy of avoiding firing at settlers due to societal consequences while allowing firing at Palestinians.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Firing at Israeli settlers, however, was to be avoided, he said, due to what he described as the “profound societal consequences” of doing so. Al Jazeera approached Bluth, via the Israeli authorities,…
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/6/shoot-palestinians-n…

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web search NEUTRAL — He recalled several incidents of settlers throwing stones and said that the Israeli army’s use of violence against settlers has in the past caused public outcry. “We prefer to resolve these with other…
https://truthout.org/articles/israeli-commander-says-israel-…

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web search NEUTRAL — Israeli prime minister orders review of live-fire regulations after increase in stone-throwing in Jerusalem and on road in occupied West Bank.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/02/netanyahu-hint…

info

Claim 6: “The army, he claimed in undated comments published by the Israeli liberal daily Haaretz last week, was “killing like we haven’t killed since 1967″”

SINGLE SOURCE

While the Guardian and Al Jazeera report on Bluth's comments generally, the specific quote 'killing like we haven’t killed since 1967' is attributed to the Haaretz publication in the claim, but the provided web results for this specific claim index are generic dictionary definitions of 'Major' and do not contain the quote. However, the Guardian evidence for claim 0 mentions he spoke 'bluntly'. Without the specific quote in the provided evidence results for claim 1, it remains single-source based on the original article's assertion.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Major, or "major score," synonym for a touchdown in Canadian football Tennis Majors, also known as Grand Slam, the most important tournaments in the sport Major professional sports leagues in the Unit…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major

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web search NEUTRAL — List of College Majors Below is a list of over 1,800 college majors profiled on MyMajors. Search for majors by selecting a category and refining your search or use search box below. Major Pages includ…
https://www.mymajors.com/college-majors/

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web search NEUTRAL — The meaning of MAJOR is greater in dignity, rank, importance, or interest. How to use major in a sentence.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/major

schedule

Claim 7: “the village of Duma, near Nablus in the occupied West Bank... was the site of a 2015 settler attack that killed three Palestinians, including 18-month-old Ali Dawabsheh, who was burned alive”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 8: “Major-General Avi Bluth, the Israeli commander with responsibility for the occupied West Bank, had not known his comments would be leaked”

CORROBORATED

Both Al Jazeera and The Guardian report on Major-General Avi Bluth's comments and the fact that he did not know they would be leaked.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Abraham Ahron Bluth is an Israeli Major general, who currently heads the Central Command.Bluth was born in Jerusalem to Efraim and Shoshana.[3] He lived in the West Bank settlement of Neve Tzuf.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avi_Bluth

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Major-General Avi Bluth, the Israeli commander with responsibility for the occupied West Bank, had not known his comments would be leaked when he boasted of the success of Israel’s policies in the occ…
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/6/shoot-palestinians-n…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Bluth, who was born in a West Bank settlement and educated in a religious military academy in the occupied territory, spoke bluntly about the discriminatory military justice his soldiers administered.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/05/israeli-army-c…

help

Claim 9: “12 Palestinians have been killed in settler attacks in the West Bank since February 28”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided for this claim.

check_circle

Claim 10: “In March, Israel passed legislation that allows for the death penalty – but only for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources (Countercurrents, and two other news reports) confirm that Israel passed legislation on March 30 allowing the death penalty specifically for Palestinians in the West Bank.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The legislation makes the death penalty the default punishment for Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank found guilty of intentionally carrying out deadly attacks deemed acts of terrorism by …
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/30/israel-passes-…

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web search NEUTRAL — Passed by the Knesset on 30 March in a 62–48 vote, the measure creates a new capital-punishment regime centered on Palestinians, especially those tried in military courts in the occupied West Bank.
https://countercurrents.org/2026/04/israels-new-death-penalt…

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web search NEUTRAL — On 30 March, Israel passed legislation on the death penalty, applied exclusively to Palestinians.The death sentence is applied to Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank for offenses classified as “ter…
https://wakeup.sg/israel-death-penalty-for-palestinians/

help

Claim 11: “the same office recorded 10 Palestinians killed by settlers across the whole of 2025”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided for this claim.

schedule

Claim 12: “The Israeli military killed at least 226 Palestinians during the same period”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.