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A New Wave of Palestinian Violence

(Ynet News) Ron Ben-Yishai - The murder of IDF soldier Eden Atias in Afula on Wednesday is part of a wave of Palestinian violence that has been increasing since the summer. This is not mass violence but rather a new phenomenon whose characteristics and motives must be understood in order to form a response. The most common and widespread part of this phenomenon is what the Palestinians refer to as "popular resistance" - especially hurling rocks and firebombs, mainly at Israeli residents of the West Bank. The second part of this phenomenon - the one which saw the murder of Eden Atias - involves acts of murder carried out by individuals driven by nationalistic and emotional motives. These murderers draw legitimacy from the Palestinian environment they live in. Statements made by senior Palestinian officials as well as by officials in the international arena against Israel create an atmosphere encouraging the "popular resistance." We must demand that Abbas order his people to condemn these acts much more actively. Moreover, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry must think twice before he warns the Israeli government and citizens in public against a third intifada if the negotiations with the Palestinians fail.
2013-11-15 00:00:00
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