Israeli Lawlessness Pushing Palestinians to Violence

Israel’s conduct, including the tightening of security measures around holy sites in Beit-ul-Moqadass and reluctance to restrain West Bank settlers’ activity, is pushing Palestinians to resort to violence, the US State Department said in a new report.

The annual study took an uncharacteristically tough stance on Israel’s actions towards Palestinians, RT reported.

“A lack of hope in achieving Palestinian statehood, Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank, settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, the perception that the Israeli government was changing the status quo on the Haram Al Sharif, and IDF [Israel Defense Forces] tactics that the Palestinians considered overly aggressive” are pushing Palestinians to resort to violence, the report acknowledged.

Settler activity in the West Bank has become another flashpoint in the sectarian tensions as “extremist Israelis, including settlers, continued to conduct acts of violence as well as ‘price tag’ attacks,” the paper added, referring to violent crime in retaliation to what Jewish fundamentalists deemed anti-settlement activities.

The report comes amid spiraling tensions in Beit-ul-Moqadass, where Israeli security forces restricted access to the Al-Aqsa compound by installing metal detectors and fencing in and around the area.

The controversial security measures sparked massive unrest in the holy city and beyond, and a number of Muslim leaders have condemned Israeli actions.

Palestinian Authority leader Abbas has frozen all contacts with Israel until it reverses the controversial decision to tighten security around the holy places, he said last Friday.  

Earlier this week, the Arab League said Israel “is playing with fire and risking a major crisis with the Arab and Islamic world.” A harshly-worded statement added that international community must “oblige the Israeli regime to maintain the status quo” as its current policies “hurt the feelings” of the Palestinians and those of the entire Muslim world.