Jewish extremism is threatening Israel's legitimacy - opinion

The recent attacks by unruly hilltop youth in the village of Jit are the latest in a long-standing pattern of violence.

This incident occurred while the Gaza conflict raged, with the world eager to portray Israel negatively.

Unsurprisingly, most of the political establishment, including settler advocate Bezalel Smotrich, condemned these actions. Authorities are attempting to arrest the perpetrators, who are being shielded by supporters.

Many settler leaders and rabbis have condemned these actions, labeling them as contrary to Jewish values. They emphasize that this group is a minority and does not represent the majority of settlers who wish to coexist peacefully with their Palestinian neighbors.

The reality of the situation, however, is far more complex and troubling.

The legality of settlements

Israel maintains that, under international law, settlements are not inherently illegal, despite the globally accepted narrative. The settlements are located in disputed territory.

The collapse of the Oslo Accords and Hamas' takeover of Gaza have convinced many Israelis of the necessity of maintaining settlements in Judea and Samaria as a defense against the Palestinians. This has driven far-right efforts to formally annex these areas.

Conversely, there is a near-global consensus that the settlements are illegal, a stance reinforced by the International Court of Justice's recent ruling extending this illegality to all territories captured during the 1967 Six-Day War, including east Jerusalem and the Old City.

Israel is locked in a struggle for its legitimacy while also confronting constant threats from Palestinian terrorists aligned with both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. Those defending the rogue actions of the settlers argue they are retaliating against Palestinian provocations.

What remains largely unacknowledged is that these hilltop thugs have been attacking Palestinian villages for years with nary an effort undertaken to quell their activities.

Over 20 years ago, I heard stories from Australians studying at a yeshiva in Shiloh, where students combine religious studies with army service. Some would gather at lunchtime to throw stones at Palestinian farmers—a behavior tolerated at the time.

Now, they destroy houses, torch vehicles, and burn farmland. There have also been instances of Palestinians being assaulted and murdered.

The political and military establishments have only paid lip service to condemning their actions. Meanwhile, their destructive behavior fuels efforts to delegitimize Israel's presence in Judea and Samaria.

This behavior should have been stamped out years ago. Just as we assert that silence is complicity regarding antisemitism, the same standard must apply to the hooligan settlers.

Moreover, as Jews and Israelis, we need to adhere to our value system and not descend to the depravities of our enemies. That Palestinian terrorists continually attempt to enter settlements and murder innocents is no justification whatsoever for retaliatory behavior. The state must enforce the law equally against these violent Jewish extremists and Palestinian terrorists alike.

The final ignominy is when these hooligans turn their violence against Israeli soldiers, which has occurred intermittently over the years as they attempt to establish outposts. This continues when authorities, whether the army or police, intervene to prevent attacks on Palestinians.

In the case of outpost settlements, figures like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir are at the forefront of defending and encouraging these actions. This creates the absurd situation where the government orders the removal of outposts against the wishes of its own ministers.

In the current environment, Israel urgently needs to retain most of its settlements in Judea and Samaria. Although it has faced regular criticism from key supporters, the global alienation of Israel makes it only a matter of time before sanctions are imposed, with these violent extremists cited as a major factor.

Israel’s argument that the fate of settlements will be decided only through a peace agreement with the Palestinians is increasingly challenged by global developments. The Biden Administration currently supports this position, but the possibility of Kamala Harris winning in November should send shivers of fear to those who understand that the safety net the Americans have provided to date will be at risk.

Most European and Western countries are shifting their positions to align more closely with the United Nations and bodies like the International Court of Justice, which includes members from nations that are implacably hostile to Israel.

It is therefore imperative that Israel makes every effort to restrict, restrain, and ultimately remove these hooligan elements.

Romy Leibler is a former prominent business and communal leader in Australia now residing in Jerusalem, Israel.