Huckabee calls Israeli settler violence in West Bank an 'act of terror'

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has condemned Israeli settler violence in the West Bank, calling it an "act of terror". He made these comments during a visit to the village of Turmus Ayya, which has experienced frequent attacks by settlers over the past year. According to CBS News, Huckabee stated that such actions, including vandalism and burning of property, extend beyond a criminal act and constitute an act of terror.

The surge in settler attacks has been reported to have increased since the war in Gaza began with a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, as per the UN humanitarian office. Huckabee's visit was focused on US citizens living in Turmusayya and other communities, who he said are "disturbed by people who have created extraordinary challenges that are unfair".

Huckabee also referred to the settlers as "terrorists", a term usually reserved for Palestinian militants. The South China Morning Post reported that days after Huckabee used this term, residents of the West Bank village of Bazariya said settlers burned a mosque and left a message on a wall in graffiti reading "Huckabee regards from the terrorists" in Hebrew.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Hill, Al Jazeera, Doha News, CBS News, South China Morning Post — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.