I think this has been given quite a bit of coverage, violence has of course always been a part of everyday life for many Israelis but there does seem to have been a big upsurge in the recent spate of knife attacks. I read this article the other week which describes it as a 'third intifada':
http://www.newstatesman.com/world/mi...rces-holy-land
Quote:
After a decade during which the relationship between occupying Israel and the occupied West Bank was relatively calm (Gaza is another matter altogether), violence has returned.
The First Intifada (1987-93) was a popular uprising of stones. The Second Intifada (2000-2004) was a relentless terrorist attack by suicide bombers in which more than 1,000 Israelis and 3,000 Palestinians were killed. The present wave of violence is one of knives, Molotov cocktails and vehicular assault. The number of casualties – dozens to date – is still much lower than in the past because this time the terror is neither organised nor sophisticated. In fact, there is something distinctly desperate about it, even pathetic.
|