It is what we do that defines usand therefore it is inescapable to recognise that the conduct, actions, violations and attacks being committed on a daily basis by Israeli settlers in Palestine are those of terrorist groups and organisations.

The Israeli settlers have been an integral part of the Israeli occupation that is in violation of the Geneva conventions, international Law and international resolutions addressing the issue of Israel-Palestine for many decades. Settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem have been engaged in collective and personal attacks on Palestinian property, land, homes and civilians. These attacks are referred to as ‘Price Tag’ and are politically and racially motivated with the aim to threaten Palestinians and achieve political goals. On April 30 2014, the US State Department issued its annual Country Reports on Terrorism for 2013, which described settlers’ actions as “destructive and intimidating actions by Israelis directed against Palestinians and their property, including mostly land but also mosques and vehicles in the West Bank, and increasingly in Israel itself”. The report include ‘Price Tag’ as a form of terrorist activities that the Israeli government is usually soft on.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) states that settlers’ violence in 2014 has tripled when compared to 2009. The EU has been following this issue with great concern and has been holding meetings with the Israeli side through the ‘EU Heads of Mission’. The EU has called upon Israel to clarify its position on settlers’ violence, raised cases and incidents directly with Israel and has warned that those involved in these attacks will be included on travel watch lists.

It is time that we describe things correctly and it is time to include terrorist actions and those who commit them on the list of terrorist organisations. This is the first step towards holding those who commit terrorism responsible for the harm, damage and suffering that affects civilians and continue to fuel the fire of hate and intolerance among different cultures and religions.
‘The International Campaign for the inclusion of Israeli Settler Groups in List of Terrorist Organisations’ has been created for the purpose of making a change by holding terrorists responsible for their actions. The campaign will call upon all relevant international organisations, states and humanitarian organisations to acknowledge Israeli Settlers’ terrorist acts as what they are and help bring change and ultimately stop the cycle of violence.

The campaign relies on public support for realising these goals and for proving that terrorism is not acceptable and is unjustifiable.