Shin Bet downgrades settler attacks from terrorism to serious incidents

The Israeli internal security service, Shin Bet, has downgraded the classification of attacks carried out by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank from the level of “terrorist attacks” to the category of “serious incidents.”

According to reports from the Israeli state broadcaster KAN, under the new classification, only attacks demonstrating a “clear intent” to kill Palestinians will be categorized as terrorism.

This policy shift is expected to reduce the volume of resources allocated to investigating such cases and will lower the operational priority level assigned to them by security units.

Arson attacks removed from terror classification

Under the new regulations, acts such as the torching of Palestinian homes and vehicles are now handled within the “serious incidents” framework.

Data indicates that throughout the past month, only three out of ten arson attacks carried out by illegal settlers were recorded as “terrorist attacks.”

Field reports from the region suggest that despite the systematic nature of these assaults, legal follow-through has weakened significantly.

The vast majority of investigations closed without charges

According to data from the Israeli Military Prosecutor’s Office, more than 99% of complaints regarding Israeli soldiers harming Palestinian civilians in recent years have been closed without an indictment.

Data obtained by the left-wing Israeli organization Yesh Din under the Freedom of Information Act, and shared with the Times of Israel, reveals that most complaints are never even investigated.

These cases include serious offenses such as the killing or severe wounding of Palestinians by the military, as well as the seizure of property.

Violence on the rise in the West Bank

Muayyad Shaaban, head of the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, stated that more than 23,000 attacks have been carried out against Palestinians by settlers and the Israeli military in the occupied West Bank this year.

“The Israeli military was responsible for 18,384 attacks; settler colonizers carried out 4,723 attacks, and a further 720 attacks were recorded involving both parties together,” Shaaban said.

Destruction continues in refugee camps

Since January 2025, the Israeli military has launched extensive operations by occupying numerous refugee camps across the region, most notably Jenin.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced as a result of activities conducted during this process. While the government’s plans to approve new illegal settlements and annex the West Bank continue, incidents such as the setting of agricultural lands on fire and property destruction are reportedly becoming systematic.