There are moments when a country has to stop and rethink its path. Change direction. Move from defense to offense.
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This has happened in Israel plenty of times – after the terrorist attack on a bus on the coastal highway Israel launched Operation Litani; katyusha rockets fired at Galilee communities prompted operations in Lebanon; rocket fire on the western Negev led to operations in the Gaza Strip; and the Passover eve bombing at the Park Hotel in Netanya 20 years ago propelled the IDF into Operation Defensive Shield to divert the Palestinian terrorism of the second intifada.
The series of terrorist attacks in the space of this past week requires Israel to think outside the box. There is no direct connection between the terrorists from Beersheba, Hadera, and the one from Bnei Brak. The perpetrators of the first two attacks were Arab Israeli supporters of the Islamic State, and also had no links other than common ideological ground. The terrorist in Tuesday's shooting was a Palestinian from the West Bank, and he might have been inspired by the earlier attacks or had a completely different motive that is still unknown.
The lack of any direct connection between the attacks is irrelevant in light of how close they were to one another. Israel is under a terrorist assault from multiple fronts, inside and out. One attack leads to another, and one terrorist inspires another. These are familiar phenomena that have gotten a boost in the social media age – certainly when there are powerful forces in the background like Hamas or the Palestinian prisoners who are constantly trying to create unrest.
Naturally, a series of attacks creates the sense that Israel has lost control and its security forces are helpless. Some media outlets push this sentiment, with shocking irresponsibility, as do a few MKs. These are dangerous at a time when cool heads and judicious decisions are needed, and also because we need to tell the truth. Despite the major attacks – which killed 11 people in a week – Israel is far from the days of that awful March in 2002, when over 130 citizens were murdered in a month.
If there is one conclusion that needs to be reached, it is the need for Israel to regain control. The diplomatic campaign Israel has been waging in the past few days in an attempt to stave off an escalation during Ramadan is important, but even more important is an effort on the operational level. This would entail a few different directions. Israel cannot evade the need to launch a comprehensive wave of arrests and confiscation of illegal guns in the Arab sector as a way of thwarting attacks and creating deterrence. When it comes to the Palestinians, Israel will need to deploy more forces to prevent terrorist attacks, while trying to maintain a certain degree of normalcy during Ramadan.
An operation of this kind should be coordinated with the Palestinian Authority, which will now find itself embarrassed in light of the fact that the terrorist behind the Bnei Brak attack was one of its own. East Jerusalem will be the main challenge, as Jewish, Christian, and Muslim holidays are coinciding this year in a volatile time period that culminates with Independence Day.
The first test of the tense days ahead of us is today, when Arab Israelis mark Land Day. The Arab leadership, part of which is a partner in the government, is expected to take active steps to keep people calm today and going forward.
This is not only a matter of national responsibility, it is also a question of us understanding that we are on the precipice of a volcano, and if it erupts, everyone who lives here – Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians – will be swept up in the lava.
To prevent that, Israel needs to regain control and instate deterrence. It must call up forces, display a military presence, operate everywhere, at all times, to give the enemy – and the Israeli public – the sense that the government is in Jerusalem and not in the hands of anyone who grabs a gun and plots an attack.
The spate of attacks is a hint that it will be difficult, and could come at a cost – but there is no longer any choice. Just like 20 years ago, Israel must act again, forcefully, to defend the home.
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