Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., November 04, 2008 Cheshvan 6, 5769 | | Israel Time: 19:37 (EST+7)
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Last update - 06:07 03/11/2008
ANALYSIS / The extreme right has sought to establish a 'balance of terror'
By Amos Harel
Tags: Outposts, Settlers 

The debate over whether to broadcast interviews with Yitzhak Rabin's murderer should not be allowed to overshadow Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin's worrying comments before the cabinet Sunday.

As usual, the initial media reports of these remarks were not entirely accurate: According to Diskin's office, he never explicitly mentioned the possibility of another political assassination.

He merely said that right-wing violence has "gone up a level," and that further diplomatic concessions could "create a situation in which live weapons would be used to stop the process."
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However, the Shin Bet confirms that a political assassination is one of three main possibilities that Diskin foresees. The others are attacks on Arabs and attacks on members of the security services.

Less than a year ago, in December 2007, the Shin Bet assessed the likelihood of a right-wing extremist attack on what it believes to be the two primary targets - Israeli politicians and the Temple Mount - to be relatively low.

Even though the Annapolis peace conference had taken place a month earlier, the security service argued that as long as extremists saw no real prospect of settlements being evacuated, they were unlikely to resort to violence.

So what has changed since then?

Primarily, the "price tag" policy launched by extremist settlers has become a major factor in developments in the West Bank.

The policy's roots lie in the August 2005 disengagement from Gaza and the subsequent destruction of nine houses in the West Bank outpost of Amona about six months later.

Ever since then, the extreme right has sought to establish a "balance of terror," in which every state action aimed at them - from demolishing a caravan in an outpost to restricting the movements of those suspected of harassing Palestinian olive harvesters - generates an immediate, violent reaction.

Even if this reaction cannot stop an evacuation, the theory goes, the damage it causes - whether the victims are Palestinians or Israel Defense Forces soldiers - will cause the government to think twice before ordering additional evacuations.

Diskin said that hundreds of people are regularly involved in extremist violence, and if necessary, they could recruit another few thousand people for a violent confrontation.

In recent months, the Shin Bet has discerned a gradual rise in right-wing violence. Even though settlers still see no great likelihood of settlements being evacuated in the near future, the fact that senior government officials such as outgoing prime minister Ehud Olmert, Kadima leader Tzipi Livni and Labor leader and Defense Minister Ehud Barak all speak constantly of the need for such an evacuation increases the sense of being under pressure.

And the distance from hitting and kicking soldiers and policemen to a political assassination is shorter than it seems.

Moreover, elections are coming up in February, and campaigns always lead to verbal escalation - on both sides. And sometimes, verbal escalation can lead to violence as well.
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  1.   More Leftist Propoganda 03:00  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 03/11/08
  2.   Could Be Election Hype 03:05  |  Ralph Levy 03/11/08
  3.   So Let them Do It. The LEFT has no balls to do it !!!! 03:09  |  jew 03/11/08
  4.   Settlers and the State of Israel 03:09  |  Ussishkin 03/11/08
  5.   Dangerous Racists 03:10  |  gearoid 03/11/08
  6.   tbis land is our rightfull heritage it is written 03:45  |  MOSHIACH 03/11/08
  7.   Natural response to EXREME LEFT-WING terrorism 04:33  |  AniAshkeloni 03/11/08
  8.   It`s a matter of language 06:26  |  Steve from Raleigh 03/11/08
  9.   `balance of terror` by arabs and lefties manipulations 06:37  |  Joseph.E 03/11/08
  10.   Show me some action 06:46  |  Natallie Durson 03/11/08
  11.   We just need to let them defend themselves 07:28  |  Northern 03/11/08
  12.   Arab Ba;ance of Terror 07:32  |  Ben Israel 03/11/08
  13.   AniAshkeloni 07:36  |  Jacob 03/11/08
  14.   The settlers have overt and covert means... 07:42  |  Esther 03/11/08
  15.   # 5 Natallie Durson 07:44  |  Joseph.E 03/11/08
  16.   Joseph #15,,, don`t sully the meaning of "pioneer" 08:37  |  Esther 03/11/08
  17.   #13 Jacob: Arabs already own/control 99.9% of Middle East land 08:46  |  AniAshkeloni 03/11/08
  18.   Policy`s Roots lie in the Disengagement from Gaza 09:04  |  Dagma 03/11/08
  19.   The association of the left and the media 09:09  |  Jean Van Daem 03/11/08
  20.   Was` Gaza` such a Success.......? 09:27  |  Onlooker 03/11/08
  21.   The Roots of INDISCRETION.. 09:37  |  Josephus 03/11/08
  22.   Their reactions work unfortunately 09:42  |  Leon Blaustein 03/11/08
  23.   Terrorism in U.S. 11:49  |  Jack Paulden 03/11/08
  24.   Put up or Shut Up 12:47  |  Stick to the Facts 03/11/08
  25.   Northern 11 12:50  |  jackie 03/11/08
  26.   To # 6 MOSHIACH - Thank you for your Wisdom..... 13:13  |  Pathfinder 03/11/08
  27.   Good question AniAshkeloni... 13:28  |  Jacob 03/11/08
  28.   MOSHIACH @ 6 - Telling Israelis what they have forgotten. about 13:55  |  Dolly 03/11/08
  29.   #6 Moshiach 14:04  |  H 03/11/08
  30.   More of today`s Olmertization and Kadimatism 14:33  |  Dagma 03/11/08
  31.   To H # 29 - `THOU SHALT NOT KILL`..... 15:08  |  Natasha 03/11/08
  32.   What balance? 15:17  |  Mark Lincoln 03/11/08
  33.   The haaretz agenda 16:36  |  Arie 03/11/08
  34.   Dagma 17:41  |  Jacob 03/11/08
  35.   #29 H: No, it is not, "Thou shalt not kill" 17:47  |  AniAshkeloni 03/11/08
  36.   Well stop giving away Jewish land then... 19:23  |  Jordan 03/11/08
  37.   Ussishkin 15:31  |  lady from USA 04/11/08
  38.   gearoid 15:33  |  lady from USA 04/11/08
  39.   Natalie has a good point 15:41  |  lady from USA 04/11/08
  40.   Northern has a good idea 15:43  |  lady from USA 04/11/08
  41.   aniashkelon 17 19:35  |  potobac 04/11/08
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