In a serious move that could give official cover to Israeli settler crimes, the Shin Bet security agency has decided to change how it defines attacks carried out by settlers in the West Bank, Israel’s public broadcaster Kan has revealed.
Under the new decision, attacks that do not show a “clear intent to kill” will no longer be classified as terrorist crimes. Instead, they will be redefined as “serious incidents”.
According to the new definition, the burning of buildings or vehicles will be treated as a “serious incident”.
While the Shin Bet still investigates such incidents, the change affects priorities, resources and the number of staff assigned to investigations within the agency.
This month, settlers carried out more than ten arson attacks. The Shin Bet classified only three of them as attacks, while the rest were recorded as “serious incidents”.
The shift is widely seen as encouraging settler violence and opening the door to an increase in attacks against Palestinians, as accountability is reduced and the concept of terrorism is weakened when it comes to settler violence.
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