The ongoing conflict in Israel seems to have no end in sight as tensions continue to escalate with the recent attacks in Tel Aviv and West Bank. The situation in the region has been volatile for decades, but the latest wave of violence has been particularly concerning, and it’s difficult to predict the outcome. In this article, we’ll delve into the recent spate of attacks and explore how it is affecting Israelis and Palestinians alike. We’ll also explore the factors contributing to the escalating tensions and what this means for the future of the region.
Israel was hit with two separate terrorist attacks in the past week that have raised tensions in the country. In the West Bank, Palestinian gunmen opened fire on a car, killing two sisters and leaving their mother critically injured. Meanwhile, in Tel Aviv, a man drove his car into a crowd and then opened fire, killing one person and injuring five others. Hamas, the group in control of Gaza, claimed responsibility for the attack in Tel Aviv and said it was in response to recent clashes at Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa mosque.
The attacks came after Israel’s borders with Lebanon and Gaza were quiet for a brief period, following heavy Israeli bombing in the early hours of the day. The bombing was in response to over 30 rockets being fired from Lebanon on Thursday, which Israel blamed on Hamas. Israeli aircraft then struck militant targets in both Lebanon and Gaza, raising concerns of another major conflict. However, Israel was careful not to target positions of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia, and there was no response from the Lebanese side apart from a drone that was shot down by Israel later in the day.
In Gaza, militants fired more than 40 rockets at southern Israel after Israel hit 10 Hamas targets, including an underground weapons factory, a tunnel, and weapons workshops. Most of the rockets were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system, and the area was calm after the early-morning exchange of fire.
Attention then shifted to the Old City of Jerusalem, where the third Friday prayers of Ramadan took place at the Haram al-Sharif noble sanctuary, revered by Jews as the Temple Mount. Two consecutive nights of clashes between Israeli police and young Palestinians barricaded in the mosque were the catalyst for the rocket fire from Gaza and Lebanon, and further clashes could have reignited tensions. However, Friday prayers passed off relatively peacefully.
The calm was shattered on Friday afternoon when two sisters, new immigrants from the UK, were killed in a drive-by shooting when Palestinian gunmen opened fire on an Israeli car travelling in the West Bank. Their mother, who was also in the vehicle, was critically wounded and was fighting for her life at the time of reporting. The father of the family was travelling in a separate car, just ahead, and turned back after he heard shots and was present as medics arrived.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the scene and vowed to catch the perpetrators. “Our enemies are once again testing us but will learn that they were mistaken to do so and that Israel will respond forcefully,” he said.
The tension remains high over the weekend and next week as the festivals of Passover, Ramadan, and Easter coincide with tens of thousands of pilgrims expected in Jerusalem’s Old City. Approximately 2,500 police officers will be on duty as the security alert continues.
National security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, head of the far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Strength) party, accused the opposition of encouraging Israel’s enemies to start the latest escalation. “Even when they are not at the wheel,” Mr. Ben-Gvir said, “they continue to do harm by encouraging the refusal [of army reservists to volunteer for duty], by harming the economy and spreading the message that the army is disintegrating and our society is crumbling.”
The recent attacks have once again highlighted the ongoing conflict in the region and the constant threat of violence. It remains to be seen if tensions will continue to escalate or if both sides will seek to de-escalate the situation.
