Title: State Department Labels Israeli Settler Attack as Terrorism, Expresses Concern Amid West Bank Violence
In a rare move, the State Department has referred to an Israeli settler attack as an act of terrorism, underlining the administration’s deep concern regarding the escalating violence in the West Bank. The incident took place on the outskirts of Burqa, a village in the central West Bank, resulting in the death of 19-year-old Qusai Jamal Maatan and leaving several others wounded.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, a group of Israeli settlers fatally shot Maatan and engaged in clashes with Palestinian residents after bringing a herd of sheep to graze on Palestinian land. The settlers were accused of vandalizing property, throwing stones, and opening fire on Maatan and others. Israeli police have since arrested two settlers and detained five Palestinians in connection with the incident. Settlers’ lawyers claim self-defense, stating that they were targeted with rocks.
The State Department’s official Twitter account described the shooting as a terror attack, further expressing condemnation and sympathy for the victim and his family. This marks the first instance where the State Department has utilized the term terror to describe settler violence against Palestinian civilians. State Department spokesperson Matt Miller emphasized that the use of such terminology reflects the department’s commitment to addressing extremism and pursuing accountability and justice, regardless of the perpetrators.
The State Department’s condemnation of the settler attack comes as concerns grow within the Biden administration over right-wing policies implemented by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. These include plans to construct thousands of new housing units in Jewish settlements and proposed changes to Israel’s judiciary system, which have been publicly criticized by the administration.
Netanyahu’s political opponents within Israel swiftly linked the Burqa settler attack to the government’s extreme rhetoric. Benny Gantz, leader of the National Unity party, cautioned against dangerous nationalistic Jewish terror and criticized the silence of national leadership.
The United Nations reported a significant increase in settler-related incidents in the West Bank, with approximately 600 documented cases during the first half of the year, representing a nearly 40% surge compared to the same period last year. In response to the fatal shooting of Israelis, approximately 400 armed Jewish settlers, in June, targeted and set fire to cars, homes, and orchards in the West Bank town of Turmus Aya. A similar rampage occurred in late February when hundreds of settlers attacked the Palestinian town of Huwara.
In order to present a balanced view of the topic, a joint statement issued by a dozen American Jewish groups in July urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to cease excusing and protecting those responsible for the wave of settler violence.
The State Department’s tweets denouncing the settler attack and another terrorist incident in Tel Aviv, where an Israeli security guard was killed by a Palestinian gunman, coincide with these escalating concerns about the Israeli government’s policies. As the United States seeks to maintain its commitment to peace and stability in the region, it acknowledges the urgent need to address the volatile situation in the West Bank.
The recent labeling of the Israeli settler attack as terrorism by the State Department marks a significant development, reflecting the administration’s determination to combat extremism while advocating for accountability and justice in all cases of violence. The ongoing violence in the West Bank raises serious concerns, and the United States, along with the international community, calls for a peaceful resolution and an end to the cycle of violence that continues to claim innocent lives.
