Katz's statements: Confirming the certain, two years after the genocide in Gaza

Dr. Ahmad Tibi: Katz's position is a direct green light for settlers to continue attacks on Palestinian villages without fear of accountability.

Anas Abu Arqoub: The international community is complicit, and settlement groups receive funding from donations collected from European countries, the United States, and Canada.

Nevin Abu Rahmoun: Removing the label "terrorism" from intentional acts of arson and vandalism targeting civilian property and lives legitimizes and normalizes these acts.

Dr. Abdul Majeed Sweilem: The failure to resolve any of the regional issues is what is driving the US administration to offer Israel another consolation prize: the West Bank.

Judat Manna: Katz's statement proves coordination between the army and the settlers and the involvement of military leaders in terrorist acts against Palestinians.

Mazen al-Jabari: Katz's speech is completely in line with the Zionist doctrine, which views killing as a means of establishing hegemony and control, and is consistent with the daily massacres in Gaza and the West Bank.

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz's statements, in which he stated that "the burning of Palestinian villages by Jews is not terrorism," were not out of step with the occupying state's general orientations, both in word and deed, which the world has been witnessing for nearly two years in the most horrific forms of massacres and genocide in the Gaza Strip, many areas of the West Bank, and a number of countries in the region.

But these statements represent a frank and brazen admission from the highest political level in the occupying state that the brutal crimes and organized attacks committed by settlers were not individual acts, but rather a systematic policy adopted by the official establishment in Israel and implemented in coordination and full partnership with terrorist and extremist gangs in the settlements of the West Bank, including Jerusalem. The occupation army participates in their implementation or in providing full protection to the settlers armed with machine guns. They also represent a disregard for the international community and its UN institutions, which stand powerless to hold Israeli war criminals accountable.

Politicians, analysts, and experts who spoke to "Y" said that Katz's position constitutes a direct green light for settlers to continue attacks on Palestinian villages without fear of accountability. They emphasized that Katz's statement proves the existence of coordination between the army and settlers and the involvement of military leaders in terrorist acts against Palestinians.

They explained that stripping the deliberate acts of arson and vandalism targeting civilian property and lives of civilians of the label "terrorism" legitimizes and normalizes these acts. They noted that Katz's rhetoric is fully consistent with the Zionist ideology, which views murder as a means of establishing hegemony and control, and is consistent with the daily massacres in Gaza and the West Bank.

They asserted that the international community is complicit with the settler groups, which receive funding from donations collected from European countries, the United States, and Canada. They pointed out that the failure to resolve any of the regional issues is what is driving the US administration to offer Israel another consolation prize: the West Bank.

Granting political legitimacy to settler violence and terrorism

MK Dr. Ahmad Tibi, head of the Arab Movement for Change, said, "Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz's statements that settlers' burning of Palestinian villages 'is not terrorism' constitute blatant official incitement, granting political legitimacy to organized settler violence and terrorism."

Tibi added, "This position is a direct green light for settlers to continue their attacks on Palestinian villages and towns without fear of accountability."

MK Tibi believes that what is more dangerous than the statements is that Katz himself has cancelled administrative detention orders against extremist Jewish settlers, at a time when thousands of Palestinians are being imprisoned without trial.

Tibi described the move as "blatant racial discrimination and confirmation of apartheid in the occupied territories, granting Jewish terrorists political and security immunity."

Al-Tibi believes that international responses to settler attacks are weak because they are driven by double standards and reflect a concern for the stability of the Israeli government rather than for the protection of Palestinian victims.

He pointed out that the international community prioritizes Western interests with the extremist Israeli government over respecting Palestinian rights and implementing the international law they so brag about.

At the end of his remarks, Tibi considered that this policy threatens to turn the West Bank into a battlefield for burning small villages and undermines any hope for justice or accountability. International silence is a partnership in the crime and the arson.

An organization with a clear structure and executive arms

For his part, journalist and researcher specializing in Israeli affairs Anas Abu Arqoub said, "A large portion of the Hebrew media describes these attacks on Palestinian villages as Jewish terrorist attacks."

He added, "According to the diagnosis of Israeli experts themselves, these groups operate as an organized organization with a clear structure, a chain of command, and operational arms on the ground, through which goals are determined, and methods and timing are carefully chosen."

Abu Arqoub believes that what is even more dangerous is what former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon repeatedly emphasized through Hebrew channels: that these groups constitute an organization with a political arm within the government and the Knesset, working to implement the vision of Rabbi Dov Lior, the extremist rabbi of the Kiryat Arba settlement, who is considered the spiritual mentor of Baruch Goldstein, the perpetrator of the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre.

He continued: "Former Shin Bet officer Gonen Ben-Yitzhak also confirmed that these attacks are actually carried out by the secret armed militia affiliated with Ben-Gvir and Smotrich in the West Bank, which means there is a dangerous overlap between government actors and these groups."

Implicit and explicit legalization of settler crimes

Abu Arqoub described Katz's statements as not merely political bias, but rather as an implicit and explicit legalization of these crimes, which could be interpreted by settlers as a "green light" to proceed with mass attacks without fear of accountability.

Regarding the weak international response, journalist Abu Arqoub explained that it reflects the international community's inability to confront Israel when it crosses red lines. He noted that verbal condemnations without deterrent measures are understood in the Israeli context as a yellow light that allows the situation to continue without consequences, which fuels a sense of impunity.

He stressed that the international community's position is complicit, particularly the European Union countries, pointing out that these groups receive funding from donations collected in European Union countries, particularly Germany and France. He pointed to what was recently revealed by the head of the Northern West Bank Settlements Council regarding the funding for the purchase of sniper rifles, reconnaissance drones, and military jeeps that were recently supplied to settlers, as these funds were collected from European Union countries, as well as from the United States and Canada, under the pretext of enhancing settlement security.

Abu Arqoub pointed out that these weapons and other military equipment are being used and deployed in settlement outposts that are considered strongholds of the "Price Tag" terrorist organization.

Lack of effective international accountability

For her part, Israeli affairs expert Nevin Abu Rahmoun said, "Statements like these are not merely a passing political comment, but rather an expression of a dangerous policy, exposing the lack of effective international accountability for violations of Palestinian human rights."

Abu Rahmoun emphasized that stripping the deliberate acts of arson and vandalism targeting civilian property and lives of civilians of the label "terrorism" amounts to legitimizing and normalizing these acts.

Abu Rahmoun noted that the state does not consider these acts to be serious crimes that warrant the maximum penalties, but rather may view them as less serious or even justifiable in a given context, emphasizing that the Israeli establishment is the sponsor of the settlers' actions.

She added: "These statements are a clear 'green light' for extremist settlers. When their actions are not classified as terrorism, they feel more immune from accountability, which increases the likelihood that these attacks will be repeated and escalate to more violent levels, perhaps even reaching actual 'holocausts.'"

Abu Rahmoun explained that these statements demonstrate a double standard. While the charge of "terrorism" is used liberally against Palestinians, this label is removed from settler violence directed against Palestinians. This fundamentally undermines the principle of the rule of law and justice.

Collusion between Israeli officials and settlers

She said that these statements, especially when issued by an official, indicate some sort of collusion or understanding between these officials and the extremist settlers, giving the impression that the state is turning a blind eye or even supporting these actions.

She considered these statements to be a dangerous escalation. She said that Palestinians, who see themselves as being subjected to terrorist attacks without being acknowledged as such, may resort to forms of resistance to defend themselves and their property.

Abu Rahmoun stressed that the international community's confidence in Israel's commitment to international law and human rights is eroded when it issues such statements that contradict the most basic principles of justice.

She pointed out that many major powers rely on Israel as a strategic partner in the region, making them reluctant to take tough positions that could harm these relations.

Abu Rahmoun concluded by saying, "Naturally, pro-Israel lobbies play a major role in influencing the positions of Western governments, which limits the strength of their responses."

Katz's statements are very dangerous.

For his part, writer and political analyst Dr. Abdul Majeed Sweilem emphasized that Katz's statements are extremely dangerous, as they constitute a "passport" for further slaughter and killing, further encroachment, and the granting of a free hand to settlers to tamper with the West Bank, in preparation for creating major shocks, after which the army will undertake extensive military operations under the cover of this violence.

It is likely that the goal of these operations is to cover up any possible agreement between Trump and Netanyahu, as a consolation prize after their failure to resolve any of the issues at hand.

Suwailem pointed out that the war on Gaza has not ended the fighting, and the file has not yet been closed. The scene is now dominated by images of Israeli losses, exposing the falsity of claims about control of 60 or 75 percent of the Gaza Strip.

He asked: If Israeli forces are unable to repel complex, coordinated attacks from areas considered safe and buffer zones that have been cleared since the beginning of the war, how can we talk about Israeli control over the Gaza Strip?

He stressed that the Gaza file has not been closed, nor has the Lebanon file, particularly given Hezbollah's tactic of placing the Lebanese state at the forefront of the conflict, entrenched in growing political and international legitimacy.

Hezbollah is now in a position to defend Lebanon.

He said that after the great flexibility it showed, Hezbollah was now in a position to defend Lebanon, not attack it, which confused the Americans and made them lose clarity about the next step.

Writer Suwailem added that if the next step is war against Hezbollah, he will engage in it from a completely different position, as a legitimate defender with government support. The Lebanese state itself embraces his narrative, calling on Israel to withdraw first, as a prelude to any discussion about the party's weapons.

He continued: "We are witnessing a continuing escalation in Yemen, while the story of Iran's victory has been exposed as a resounding scandal, after the falsity of the rhetoric that promoted unprecedented victories became clear. He stressed that neither the United States nor Israel have achieved any real progress against Iran, and negotiations have become the only option available to Washington, as Trump himself acknowledges. However, Iran will not return to the negotiating table without guaranteeing its right to enrichment.

Fear of an upcoming all-out battle in the West Bank

In Suwailem's estimation, the failure to resolve any of these issues is what's driving the US administration to offer Israel another consolation prize: the West Bank. Katz's latest statement is a natural prelude to the coming battle there.

Writer Suwailem asserted that Katz has reclassified himself into the same category as Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, emphasizing that his discourse in meetings with Israeli officers and soldiers is not significantly different from Netanyahu's rhetoric toward the Hilltop Youth.

He said: "This confirms that Netanyahu, Katz, Smotrich, and Ben-Gvir are all cut from the same political and intellectual cloth.

Suwailem concluded his remarks by saying, "This should alert us and provide us with rich material for drawing lessons, and should prompt Arab and Palestinian media to widely disseminate this statement, as it reflects a dangerous and premeditated approach, perhaps agreed upon by Trump and Netanyahu, for an upcoming comprehensive battle in the West Bank, no less ferocious than the battle in Gaza."

Exposing Katz's terrorist role in war crimes

Journalist Jawdat Manna, coordinator of the International Campaign to Defend Jerusalem, described Katz's statements as dangerous, noting that Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz's claim that "a Jew who burns down a Palestinian home is not a terrorist" demonstrates his involvement in and support for the "Hilltop Youth" terrorist organization, which is responsible for war crimes committed against civilians in the West Bank under his orders.

He added: "These statements also constitute incitement to continue killing unarmed Palestinian civilians and burning their homes and property.

Manaa believes this calls for documenting Katz's statements and attaching them to the files of the International Commission of Inquiry into War Crimes, which is authorized to submit files to the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.

He continued: "These statements also call for intensified diplomatic efforts to expose his terrorist role in the ongoing war crimes in occupied Palestine, to limit international engagement with him, and to impose international sanctions on his movements and assets."

Manaa asserted that these statements could be used as evidence of the involvement of the "Hilltop Youth" organization, based on Katz's statements and the demand to place it on the international terrorist list and to cut off its funding sources.

Journalist Manaa pointed out that Katz's statement proves that there is joint coordination between the army and the settlers, which could reveal the involvement of field commanders in the occupation army in terrorist acts against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank.

Katz's terrorist statements are not surprising.

For his part, researcher and writer specializing in Israeli affairs, Mazen al-Jabari, said that the statements of Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, in which he considered the burning of Palestinian villages not terrorism, do not surprise anyone. He explained that this man lacks an independent political vision, but rather plays an executive role subordinate to Netanyahu, assuming the role of a barbaric officer and dedicated to a continuous, bloody colonial policy.

He pointed out that Katz, of Romanian origin, has no historical connection to Palestine or its people, making him a mere symbol of today's purely settlement project. He is directly involved in the ongoing massacres in Gaza and supports the aggression against Iran, Lebanon, and Syria, embodying the logic of killing and destruction rather than politics, just as Trump praised Netanyahu and described him as a "hero," even though he is wanted internationally for trial for crimes against humanity.

Al-Jaabari emphasized that in the West Bank, Katz's statements are consistent with the daily crimes committed by settler militias under the protection of the occupation army.

He explained that these armed gangs are committing murder, arson, and theft in Palestinian villages, and derive their legitimacy from right-wing parties within the government, thus serving as executive arms for the ethnic cleansing project.

Tyrannical and racist historical models

He added: "On the official front, the occupation forces are launching devastating military operations in the northern West Bank, targeting refugee camps, particularly Jenin and Tulkarm, where civilians are being killed, homes are being demolished, and property is being burned, in clear collusion between the army and militias to impose a settlement reality by force."

Researcher Al-Jabri believes that Katz's statements do not express an individual position, but rather derive their content from authoritarian and racist historical models, combining the image of the arrogant American cowboy with the Roman one who thrives on oppression and destruction.

Al-Jaabari said: "Katz's speech is completely in line with the Zionist doctrine, which views murder as a means of establishing hegemony and control. It is consistent with the daily massacres in Gaza and the West Bank, and is fueled by shameful international silence and Arab and Islamic complicity, which opens the door to a cold-blooded genocide. In this context, Palestinian resistance becomes not only a legitimate right, but an existential, historical, and humanitarian necessity."