A few days ago we wondered whether the rise of Palestinian knife and rock attacks was the start of a Third Intifada.
Despite cheerleading from Western anti-Israel activists hoping for more violence, and incitement by Palestinian politicians and religious leaders (like the Gaza preacher in the Featured Image), it’s not clear whether this is something that will last. The Second Intifada lasted years and in its early stages — before Israel built the security barrier and launched Operation Defensive Shield — killed 452 Israelis in 2002 alone, plus hundreds more before it was quashed.
But the scale of attacks is not letting up. ]
Many of the attacks are by women, like this one in Afula who stabbed a security guard at the bus station and was shot in the lower body to disable her:
Israeli undercover police have started infiltrating crowds of rock throwers. This image (video here) shows the moment the undercover police draw their weapons:
This undercover operation has infuriated Western supporters of the rock throwers, for some reason.
In the southern city of Dimona, an Israeli stabbed four Arabs. That attack was widely condemned in Israel, including by Benjamin Netanyahu.
In contrast, Palestinian and Israeli Arab leaders have praised the knife attacks on Israelis.
Hamas has declared this to be an Intifada:
Hamas’s chief in Gaza on Friday called violence that has hit Israel and the West Bank in recent days an “intifada” and urged further unrest.“We are calling for the strengthening and increasing of the intifada… It is the only path that will lead to liberation,” Ismail Haniyeh said during a sermon for weekly Muslim prayers at a mosque in Gaza City.
(added) Gazans who approached the Gaza security fence were shot by Israeli forces. The circumstances are not yet clear. Reports indicate 5-7 killed, but it’s not confirmed.
Here are some updates, which will be expanded throughout the day:
(one of the men in the photo above was killed)
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