Academic's Terror Plot Echoes Past Jewish Extremists

Professor Shahar Nevo of Bar-Ilan University is suspected of planning attacks against Arabs, a case that draws parallels to past Jewish extremist acts. The indictment against Nevo has been likened to a confluence of Baruch Goldstein, Yigal Amir, Yona Avrushmi, and the Jewish Underground of the late 1970s and early 1980s. This phenomenon is described as "Jewish messianism on ecstasy," escalating from religious vision to murderous practice, utilizing academic skills for a malevolent plan with potential to ignite further conflict.

Security forces apprehended Nevo after an extended investigation, preventing a larger catastrophe. However, the incident highlights ongoing issues within state-funded educational institutions that, despite oversight, harbor extremist ideologies. The article suggests that a settler elite, emboldened by political power, fosters a sense of self-empowerment, leading some within the religious Zionist community to extreme interpretations of rabbinical rulings. The author contends that the impulse to kill Arabs as a solution to the conflict originates not in a vacuum but within insular faith communities that actively seek to hasten the messianic era.

The article criticizes politicians from Otzma Yehudit and Religious Zionism, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Knesset Member Zvi Sukkot, for actions perceived as fueling extremist sentiment and undermining Israeli law. These actions, along with the unchecked violence of settlers in Judea and Samaria, are described as creating a dangerous atmosphere of lawlessness.

Data from the IDF and Shin Bet indicate a 27% increase in settler violence against Arabs in 2025 compared to the previous year. This surge is attributed to government policies that have encouraged the displacement of Palestinian communities and resulted in a low rate of prosecution for perpetrators. The article concludes that until prominent figures in the Religious Zionist movement disavow extremist rabbis like Dov Lior and Yisrael Ariel, who advocate for transfer or religiously charged actions on the Temple Mount, such incidents will continue to occur.