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Behind the Escalating Palestinian Terror Offensive

(JNS) Caroline Glick - The factors pushing the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria to escalate their terrorist assaults on Israel include the succession battle in anticipation of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' death. Abbas, 88 and ailing, was reportedly hospitalized last week during an official visit to China. Palestinian terror groups are the only viable quasi-political forces in Palestinian society. Their means for achieving both public support and military power is by killing Israeli Jews. The more Jews they murder, the greater their perceived power and public support. The second factor is the availability of weapons that enter from Jordan. The third factor feeding the violence is the erosion of Israel's deterrent power over young Palestinian terrorists. Operation Defensive Shield, when IDF forces restored Israel's security control over Judea and Samaria after eight years of PA rule, was 21 years ago. Most of the terrorists attacking Israel today weren't even born then. The fourth factor emboldening the Palestinians is the U.S. administration's desire to blame Palestinian terrorism on Israel, along with its massive financial and military assistance to the PA despite the PA's underwriting and sponsorship of terrorism and rejection of Israel's right to exist. In blaming Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria and IDF counterterror operations for Palestinian massacres of Israelis, the administration is effectively embracing the Palestinian narrative. The writer is senior fellow for Middle Eastern Affairs at the Center for Security Policy.
2023-06-22 00:00:00
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