RAMALLAH, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Authority Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Monday the world's states to place Israeli settlers on the "international list of terrorism."
The ministry said in an emailed press statement that it urges the states of the world "to place Israeli settlers on their lists of terrorists and ban them from entering its territories."
"There has been a noticeable increase in the level of terrorist attacks carried out by settler militias against Palestinian citizens, and damage inflicted by these attacks on their land and property has doubled," it said.
The statement also referred to "the destruction and the damaging of water networks and roads that Palestinian citizens are using on daily bases," adding that "settlers never stopped throwing stones at Palestinian traffic."
The ministry condemned what it termed as "the terror of settlers," which is practiced by militia groups such as "Paying the Price" and the "Hills Youths" against the Palestinians.
The statement held the Israeli government responsible "for the serious escalation in the attacks of such organizations and the armed militias against the Palestinians."
"The Israeli army, Israeli police, and the judiciary establishments are ensuring protection to the settlers who are involved in these attacks," said the statement, adding "in rare cases some get arrested, but they get released soon."
Around half a million Jewish settlers live in about 120 settlements in the West Bank, which had been occupied by Israel in 1967, while 2.6 million Palestinians live in the territory.
