After attack on Israelis: Escalation of violence in the West Bank

Status: 02/27/2023 03:39 a.m

Just a few hours after a Palestinian attack on two Israelis in the West Bank, Jewish settlers are believed to have taken revenge: They set Palestinian houses and vehicles on fire at the site of the deadly attack.

In response to the deadly attack on two Israelis in the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians late in the evening. Palestinian media reported that 30 houses and vehicles were set on fire in the town of Hawara. The two settlers had been killed there by Palestinians just hours before.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, at least one person was shot dead during the riots – but it is still unclear who fired the fatal shot. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported at least four seriously injured. Dozens of people also needed treatment for inhaling tear gas. The Israeli army reported 15 houses and 25 cars set on fire. Israeli soldiers rescued nine Palestinian families from their burning homes.

Meanwhile, the search for the Palestinian suspect continued. In view of the dangerous escalation of the situation, the army announced in the evening that it would add two more battalions to its troops in the West Bank.

Israel’s president condemns vigilantism

Israeli President Isaac Herzog strongly condemned the acts of revenge. “Taking the law into your own hands, rioting and committing acts of violence against innocent people – that’s not our way,” he said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for calm in a video message. “I beg of you: when the blood boils and the spirit heats up, do not take the law into your own hands.”

Summit in Jordan

The attack overshadowed a meeting in Jordan at which representatives of Israel, the Palestinian Territories and other states discussed de-escalating the recently flared up violence. The National Security Adviser and the head of the Shin Bet secret service attended for Israel, and the head of the secret service and adviser to President Mahmoud Abbas for the Palestinian side. Delegations from Egypt and the USA also traveled to the summit – a sign of how serious the situation before the beginning of the fasting month of Ramadan at the end of March is assessed.

In a joint statement, both sides expressed their willingness to de-escalate the situation, prevent further violence and ultimately work towards a “just and lasting peace”. This was announced by the Foreign Ministry in Amman.

Israel agreed not to hold talks on new settlements in the Palestinian Territories for four months and not to approve new ones for six months. Both sides also agreed to maintain the status quo on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, under which Jews are not allowed to pray there, it said.

There will be another meeting in March – then in Egypt.

Israel wants death penalty for terrorists

Israel’s right-wing religious government has meanwhile introduced the introduction of the death penalty for terrorist offences. Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel’s far-right national security minister, said the cabinet made a decision to that effect on Sunday. The Knesset, the Israeli parliament, is due to discuss the matter for the first time on Wednesday.

According to the draft, anyone who “deliberately or out of indifference causes the death of an Israeli citizen, if the act is carried out with a racist motive or out of hatred against a certain group of people” and if this “with the purpose of destroying the state hurting Israel and the rebirth of the Jewish people in their homeland” be done.

In areas of the West Bank occupied by Israel, there should be a special solution: death sentences would be passed here by military courts, whose judges would not have to decide unanimously.

Death penalty for most cases abolished in 1954

The introduction of the death penalty for terrorism is a dream project of the radical party Otzmah Jehudit (Jewish Strength), the coalition partner of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party.

Israel had abolished the death penalty for most crimes and in peacetime in 1954. It is still permitted for some cases, including genocide, crimes against humanity and against the Jewish people, and war. It has only been carried out once since 1954: in 1962, the Holocaust organizer Adolf Eichmann was executed after his trial in Jerusalem.

Attorney General: Proposed legislation unconstitutional

Israel’s Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, had criticized the new law and called it unconstitutional. In addition, the law cannot be extended to the West Bank because Israeli law has not yet applied there.

She also doubted that the death penalty would act as a deterrent, as claimed by the government. In other legislative projects, the Israeli government is working on weakening the Supreme Court – in future, parliament should be able to overrule court decisions, for example on unconstitutional laws.