Jewish violence in the West Bank is terrorism - and Israel must admit it - opinion
But there is another simpler word for what is happening in parts of the West Bank, and we should not be afraid to use it. On the contrary, we have an obligation to use it. It is “terrorism.”
Houses are under siege. Water and electricity have been cut off. Families, including children, are too frightened to leave their homes for fear of being beaten, attacked, or worse. Cars have been torched. Homes have been struck by Molotov cocktails. Farmers tending to olives or grazing sheep have been targeted. Innocent individuals driving along roads have had stones thrown at their vehicles.
The forces tasked with maintaining law and order often arrive, attempt to separate the conflicting parties, but then leave. In Israel, there exists a convenient term to describe this situation: "Nationalistic crime." This term, vague and sanitizing, fails to accurately depict the gravity of the situation. The appropriate term is "terrorism."
The situation should not be overlooked or softened; it is a crime and the perpetrators must be identified as terrorists. If the situation were reversed and it were Palestinians surrounding an Israeli community in Judea and Samaria, preventing families from leaving their homes, cutting off electricity and water, throwing stones at Israeli cars, attacking farmers, or hurling Molotov cocktails at Jewish homes, most Israelis would not hesitate to label them as terrorists.
The world would be filled with news coverage, and swift action would follow in the form of arrests and legal proceedings. So, why do we struggle with the vocabulary when Jews commit similar acts against Palestinians? The act itself, not the perpetrator's religion or nationality, determines whether it is terrorism. It is crucial to call it what it is, as this does not imply that all settlers or residents of Judea and Samaria are guilty.
The minority committing violent acts operate on the margins of Israeli society, and the vast majority of Israelis in the region oppose such violence and are against it. However, some within this minority are indeed terrorists, and acknowledging this fact is essential. Without proper identification of the problem, Israel cannot effectively combat it.
The recent events in the Palestinian village of Kusra serve as a prime example of the issue. This village gained international attention when Loui Ridi, a Palestinian-American from Ohio, returned to protect his family's home and raised an American flag, inadvertently drawing global attention and a strong response from US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, who accurately called the Israelis responsible for the siege "terrorists."
While Huckabee is known for his strong support of Israel and the settlement movement, his accurate assessment highlights the gravity of the situation. The Israeli government, however, has been silent, failing to condemn the terrorists. This inaction, combined with the failure to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators, blurs the line between a fringe phenomenon and state-sanctioned violence.
Israelis may underestimate how such stories are perceived overseas. Although the perpetrators are few and the vast majority of Israelis oppose this violence, the failure to take action and bring perpetrators to justice allows the claim that the violence is state-sanctioned to gain traction. This, in turn, complicates efforts to address and prevent the problem.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
