BICOM

Israel’s Shin Bet internal security agency yesterday released a report that revealed a sharp spike in Palestinian attacks on Israelis in the West Bank during November and December, indicating that tension is increasing in the area.

The report documented 111 attacks in December, while 166 incidents were reported in November, the month in which Operation Pillar of Defence took place. In comparison, 70 attacks took place in October, with 67 in September and just 28 incidents recorded in August. The breakdown of incidents in December included 98 Molotov cocktail attacks (29 of which occurred in Jerusalem), six bombings, three grenade attacks, two light arms shootings and a stabbing. Three Israeli security service personnel were wounded in the attacks; two were stabbed in the West Bank and one was run over in Jerusalem.

The Shin Bet figures do not include several incidents of rioting, which occurred in the West Bank over the last month. These included serious confrontations in Jenin and nearby Tamoun that took place after Israeli security forces arrested members of Islamic Jihad and were confronted by large crowds of stone and firebomb-throwing Palestinians. In both cases, Israeli troops responded with crowd control measures to contain the riot.