Amid an increase in Palestinians who have been killed by IDF fire this year, Israel is growing concerned but does not think the West Bank will spiral out of control.
More than 40 Palestinians have died since the beginning of the year, including children and others in questionable circumstances. Another four Palestinians were killed early Monday morning during a raid in Jenin.
The numbers are twice those of the same period in 2020, and the Palestinian street is not quiet.
Since Operation Guardian of the Walls and the cancellation of the PA elections, Hamas and Fatah have been fighting for dominance.
With armed struggle gaining support following the May conflict, militants are feeling more confident about engaging Israeli forces, the security source said.
The founding of the illegal settlement outpost of Evyatar and the delay by the IDF and police in evacuating it has also led to a high level of violence by Palestinians living in the neighboring village of Beita.
The almost nightly violent protests of hundreds of Palestinians has led to at least six deaths. It’s a level of violence the IDF hasn’t seen in years.
Even though the violence in Beita has angered Palestinians, those living in Hebron or Bethlehem “are really focusing on their own issues,” Milstein said. “They know what’s happening and support the people in Beita, but they won’t do anything.”
On Monday afternoon, thousands of Palestinians took part in the funerals of the four men killed by Israeli security forces in Jenin, chanting slogans glorifying the dead and vowing to avenge them.
“The pictures of the funeral are creating a lot of anger on the Palestinian street,” Milstein said. “But 99.9% of Palestinian youth will express their anger with the keyboard. Only a very small part will translate this anger to lone terrorist attacks.”
Still, Israel should be ready for any attacks in the coming days following the deaths of the four men, he said, adding: “This is the situation that [was] dominant in the knife Intifada. Maybe we will see some attacks this week by young men from [the] Jenin camp.”
On Monday afternoon, one such attack was thwarted by troops after a Palestinian dressed as a soldier was arrested near the settlement of Ma’aleh Levona armed with a fireman, ammunition, a meat cleaver, a smaller knife and pepper spray. He was from Jenin, Hebrew-language media outlets reported.
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