Dr. Liron Libman: It's time to declare Jewish terror groups in the West Bank as terrorist organizations
Dr. Liron Libman, former head of the IDF International Law Department, calls for declaring Jewish rioters in the West Bank as terrorist organizations, analyzing the legal framework and noting that the current government is unlikely to take this step.
Dr. Liron Libman, former head of the IDF International Law Department, argues in an opinion piece for Zman Yisrael that it is time to declare groups of Jewish rioters in the West Bank as terrorist organizations. He describes a recent incident where over a hundred rioters thwarted an IDF attempt to implement a High Court ruling to return a Palestinian family to their home in the village of Jiloud, by blocking roads, attacking security forces, and setting fires. Libman notes that the Prime Minister and Defense Minister condemned the riots, but questions the resolve to fight the phenomenon given the cancellation of administrative detention orders against Jews about two years ago. He details the legal definition of a terrorist organization under the 2016 Counter-Terrorism Law, explaining that such a declaration would allow prosecution for mere membership in the organization and seizure of property, even without proving participation in a specific act. Libman acknowledges the potential harm to human rights but emphasizes that the arrangement is accepted in established democracies, and that the movements "Kach" and "Kahane Chai" were already declared terrorist organizations in 1994. He concludes that the chance of the current government taking this step is slim, due to the proximity of some of its members to those involved in terrorism.