Opinion: Palestinian attacks that result in wounded or dead Israelis usually tend to inspire copycats, therefore security forces must adopt an uncompromising method of dealing with lone terrorists before it’s too late
A single terror attack could potentially lead to a wave of terror attacks and it’s largely dependent on who is on the receiving end.
It could be a soldier stationed at an outpost, a security guard at a gate, a police officer at a checkpoint or a simple passerby at a bus station. Each one of them has the capability to prevent a stabbing or a shooting from occurring without any casualties and their actions would have a direct effect on whether another attack takes place.
The past has taught us that attacks which result in Israelis getting hurt or killed tend to inspire copycats to carry out more attacks.
The IDF commanders and soldiers are familiar with this phenomenon from their experience in the West Bank and other areas beyond the Green Line, and only a quick and uncompromising action will prevent the current tensions in the area from escalating.
In the wake of the manhunt for the remaining Gilboa Prison fugitives, alleged diplomatic talks with Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, terrorist organizations are trying to ignite a fresh wave of violence.
Three terror attacks in three days, in both the West Bank and Jerusalem, remind us of October 2015, when attacks carried out by young lone terrorists resulted in the so-called “knives intifada”.
At the time, the IDF concluded that in that particular terror wave, future attacks largely depended on the “success” of the previous ones and the number of wounded or dead Israelis. So, when IDF soldiers began using aggressive and precise actions to foil attacks in the West Bank with no causalities, the wave finally subsided.
Palestinian terrorists know if they manage to kill Israelis, they will earn eternal glory, massive coverage in Palestinian media and an honorable funeral. And if they manage to commit an attack and escape unharmed, they will be recognized as heroes, with their photos spread all over the West Bank – which would encourage others to “try it” as well.
The IDF understands that awareness and a quick response of the soldier is extremely important in these situations. So, in order to achieve that, special training programs have been established and outposts were the soldiers were stationed are now equipped technology that would help them hold their ground and have an advantage against the attacker.
This method also proved itself during the latest Gaza war known as Operation Guardian of the Walls, which began after terror factions in Gaza fired a barrage of rockets on Jerusalem amid tensions surrounding the Al Aqsa Mosque.
In the wake of the war, lone terrorists attempted to carry out attacks in the West Bank and Jerusalem but failed thanks to the awareness and quick reaction of the soldiers.
Similar methods are being used during violent Palestinian riots. The IDF deploys with large forces in the West Bank ahead of the riots in order to suppress them on time, before they expand to Jewish communities. These actions make Palestinian terrorists think twice before they attempt to conduct an attack.
So, in order to prevent the current tensions from developing into a terror wave, we must use the same methods being used in the West Bank inside Israel and finish those encounters before they start – as quick as possible and with no casualties.
As reported by Ynetnews