Jewish violence in the West Bank is terrorism – and Israel must admit it – opinion

The article argues that Jewish violence in the West Bank, often termed "nationalistic crime" by Israeli officials, should be unequivocally labeled "terrorism." It highlights incidents where Jewish individuals besiege Palestinian homes, cut utilities, attack farmers, and hurl objects at vehicles, actions that would be immediately classified as terrorism if perpetrated by Palestinians against Israelis. The author contends that the refusal to use the term "terrorism" for these acts, despite their ideological or nationalist motivations and targeting of civilians, hinders effective countermeasures. The piece cites the recent siege of the Palestinian village of Kusra, which gained international attention due to a Palestinian-American resident, and notes that even staunch Israel supporter US Ambassador Mike Huckabee called the perpetrators "terrorists." The article concludes that Israel's failure to confront and prosecute these acts, and its weakening of enforcement tools like administrative detention for Jewish extremists, risks blurring the line between fringe violence and state-tolerated behavior, undermining Israel's international legitimacy.