The difficult terrorist attack in Elad, the latest in the recent terror wave, demands the security system move from a strategy of micro-tactics to an organized strategy that puts an end to the attacks.
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Since mid-March, 19 Israelis have been murdered in terrorist attacks in Beersheba, Hadera, Bnei Brak, Tel Aviv, Ariel, and Elad. As with the Hadera attack, the Independence Day attack in Elad appears to have involved some degree of planning. Preliminary information indicates two terrorists, one armed with an axe, succeeded in murdering three people and wounding seven others, two critically, in the Independence Day attack.
In recent weeks, the security system has succeeded in thwarting dozens of attacks thanks to quality intelligence obtained by the Shin Bet security agency and the IDF Intelligence Unit. While we will never be able to prevent every attack, Thursday's failure requires the Shin Bet to clarify just how the two attackers were able to go under the security system's radar.
The problem is that Israel has adopted a highly tactical, one might even say micro tactical, approach of late and has failed to consolidate a comprehensive strategy for contending with the terror wave. The hope among senior diplomatic and security officials was that if Israel was able to get through the month of Ramadan, Passover, Independence Day, and other contentious dates with relative quiet, there would be a real chance for the escalation that began with the Beersheba attack to slowly fade away.
With this in mind, Israel chose to deal with the current wave of terror through the exclusive use of intelligence, interceptions, immediate responses, and initiated operations deep inside Palestinian territory, among other means. But the truth is that terrorism cannot be dealt with through tactical and pinpoint measures alone.
Hamas in the Gaza Strip is the source of the wild incitement and is responsible for fanning the flames. It is the organization encouraging the riots on the Temple Mount and the attacks on city centers and in Judea and Samaria. It is Hamas that has failed to aggressively prevent the firing of rockets from Gaza, while its emissaries are responsible for the rocket fire from Lebanon.
A few days ago, the Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, delivered a speech in which he explicitly called on Palestinians to continue to carry out attacks with axes. Despite that speech, Israel continued to allow Gazan workers, whose salaries Hamas taxes at a rate of 50%, into Israel, as well as the entry of goods and Qatari funds into the coastal enclave.
Israel has not exacted any price from Hamas and has treated Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas with understanding. The PA leader may cooperate covertly with Israel, but his condemnations of terrorist attacks are feeble and his people continue to pay the salaries of terrorists' families.
Given the very real concern that the deadly Elad attack could inspire other would-be terrorists, senior diplomatic and security officials must hold strategic talks toward finding a path to make Sinwar end the incitement. The current tactic has clearly failed.
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