Charges Filed Against Jewish Settler for Terrorism-Related Offences

Israeli prosecutors have filed charges related to “terrorism” against a Jewish settler accused of vandalising a mosque in the occupied West Bank last month. The incident drew a rare demand from the United States for accountability.

The charges were filed in the Central District Court against a man in his early 30s for disorderly conduct resulting in damage, the infliction of special damage and insulting religion, all designated as “acts of terrorism”.

The settler violence has been a constant source of tension between Israel and the Palestinians, with the latter claiming the Israeli government has turned a blind eye to such attacks.

The filing of charges in this case will be closely watched by Palestinians to see if it signals a shift in Israeli policy. Charges Filed Against Jewish Settler for Terrorism-Related Offences.  

The defendant was among “a large number [of] rioters” who threw objects at buildings in the village of Orif, wrecked furniture and windows in its mosque and ripped up and threw to the floor copies of the Quran.

The spree of vandalism and arson followed the June 20 killing of four Israelis by Hamas gunmen, which in turn was a response to a deadly Israeli raid on the Jenin refugee camp that killed seven Palestinians and wounded more than 90 others.

Under Israeli law, the designation of terrorism enables the court to double the penalty for any of the counts on which it convicts. Without the designation, the counts normally carry maximum prison terms of between three and 10 years.

The filing of charges in this case is a rare move by the Israeli government when it comes to Palestinian-related issues, as just seven percent of settler attacks have led to criminal charges, with only three percent of investigations leading to a conviction.

The settler violence has been a constant source of tension between Israel and the Palestinians, with the latter claiming the Israeli government has turned a blind eye to such attacks.

The limited scale and pace of Israel’s law-enforcement effort against settlers have left Palestinians unmoved, almost a decade since the stalling of US-sponsored efforts to achieve their statehood goals through negotiations.

This indictment will be closely watched by Palestinians to see if it signals a shift in Israeli policy.