Israeli government is pushed to treat settlers as terrorists

THE ISRAELI government is ready to confront Jewish extremists after a week of settler violence, prompting fears of a civil war. “We won’t let them attack our soldiers, start a religious war, set fire to mosques [and] attack Jews or non-Jews,” said Prime Minister Netanyahu last night.
 
On Tuesday a group of around 50 religious extremists attacked an Israeli army base in the West Bank, vandalising vehicles and hitting soldiers with bricks. Defence Minister Ehud Barak described the attack as “terror behaviour”. The following day, settlers burned down a historic mosque in Jerusalem.
 
Now the government is ready to hit back and has given the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) powers to subject settlers to military trials and arrest without charge - powers that were previously used only on Palestinians. Brigadier General Nitzan Alon, known for his tough stance on settlers, has been appointed as the new West Bank security commander.
 
Kadima leader Tzipi Livni has warned that the country is on the brink of civil war. Yesterday, the IDF dismantled two small settlements and in response settlers torched a mosque in Ramallah, leaving Hebrew graffiti saying “war” and “price tag” according to the New York Times.
 
Historically, West Bank settlers have been treated leniently. The Washington Post reports statistics from Israeli peace group Yesh Din claiming that only nine per cent of charges of violence against settlers resulted in indictments between 2005 and 2010.
 
Earlier in the week +972 magazine reported IDF spokesman Yoav Mordechai admitting the army applies different standards for settler and Palestinian disorder. The Palestinian protester Mustafa Tamimi was shot and killed at a West Bank demonstration last Friday.
 
Ehud Barak claimed this week that settler violence has been a major impediment to progress in peace talks with Palestinians, and should Israel implement a more even-handed approach to law enforcement it could be a game-changing goodwill gesture. Reports this week indicate that the Hamas government in Gaza could even be prepared to renounce violence against Israel.  
 
A source in Jerusalem told The Week today that the Israeli government is serious in its desire to take on the settlers. “They want to do something as it’s getting out of hand and is bad for Israel’s international reputation”, the source said.
 
However, settlers have a strong influence within both the army and the government. The influential Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman is a settler, as are a high proportion of army officers. ·