Israel Sees 25 Percent Drop in Terror Attacks
Israeli soldier guards scene of a suspected terror attack in which a Palestinian driver rammed into pedestrians at a Jerusalem light rail station. Image by gettty images
TEL AVIV — The number of terrorist attacks on Israelis decreased significantly in December over the previous month, Israel’s security agency said.
The Israel Security Agency, or Shin Bet, recorded in December a total of 246 attacks by Palestinians on Israel compared to 326 in November, the organization said in its monthly report released earlier this week.
The 25-percent drop manifested itself in fewer casualties. While November had 10 fatalities and 58 wounded from terrorist attacks, December had three fatalities and 44 wounded.
In the December report, Shin Bet for the first time added the category “Jewish terrorism” to the synopsis of its monthly report. It listed only one incident: The hurling of two smoke grenades into a home near Ramallah, resulting in no injury.
Of the attacks against Israelis documented by Shin Bet in December, 183 involved the hurling of firebombs. All three fatalities were stabbed.
The attacks are part of what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu termed a “wave of terrorism” that began in September amid claims by Palestinians that Israel was plotting to increase its control over or destroy Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem. Dozens of Palestinians were killed by security forces and civilians while carried out the attacks and in subsequent rioting.
Since Sept. 1, Shin Bet documented over 1,415 attacks, which resulted in the death of 25 victims and dozens of wounded. Of those, 620 attacks occurred in October alone.
On Thursday night, Israeli troops in the West Bank killed a Palestinian man whom they said tried to stab a soldier. Earlier that day, three Palestinians were killed elsewhere in what the Israel Defense Forces said was an attempted stabbing attack.
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