US AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL CALLS SETTLER VIOLENCE 'TERRORISM'

Mike Huckabee, US Ambassador to Israel, stated that Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank meets the definition of terrorism. In an interview with Israeli public broadcaster Kaan, Huckabee said settlers are engaged "in a process aimed at changing behaviour and creating fear in an individual, a population group, or a society," which fits "the description in the historical lexicon of terrorism." He added that he did not know how to use any other term to describe their actions. His comments follow a days-long siege of a Palestinian-American family's home by Israeli settlers in the village of Qusra.

Huckabee's statement represents a rare public rebuke of settler conduct from a senior American diplomatic official. The US Ambassador's characterisation of settler violence as terrorism is significant given America's historical position on Israeli security matters and its diplomatic relationship with Israel. The siege in Qusra that prompted his comments involved settlers surrounding a family home for an extended period. Settler violence in the West Bank has been a source of tension between Palestinian and Israeli communities for years.

The remarks underscore growing international attention to settler conduct in the occupied territories. Huckabee's willingness to use the term "terrorism" to describe settler actions marks a notable departure from typical diplomatic language on the subject. No statement from the Israeli government or settler representatives regarding Huckabee's comments has been reported at this time.