Analysis / A new wave of terrorism?

[Behind the Aegis]

For reasons not yet fully clear, terrorism seems to be reviving in the West Bank. In the past three days one Israeli has been killed and four others injured, in addition to other incidents. Does this add up to a random set of incidents or a new wave of terrorism?

However, all these incidents do not come close to the damage that one suicide bomber could cause. Since the beginning of the year the Shin Bet and IDF have assassinated several Jihad leaders and arrested others.

Still, it appears the network has maintained its capability of launching suicide bombers. This is a result of Israel's relatively restrained policy in the pre-pullout days. The calm enabled the Jihad's various cells to reestablish the ties among them. When the commanders were neutralized, their successors knew how to communicate with each other and pull off a suicide attack.

Hamas, in contrast, is not part of this game. Its people have received clear orders not to take part in the attacks. Israel's ongoing failure to stop the fund flow for terror from Damascus and Beirut has enabled Jihad and Hezbollah people there to send rogue Tanzim units to carry out attacks in the West Bank. Some of them were involved in the recent attacks.

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