Security forces: Recent West Bank terror attacks are unrelated

Security forces have made significant progress in investigating several terror attacks in the West Bank. All appear to be unconnected, and at least some of the perpetrators seem to have been operating independently of a terror group.

The investigations are still underway.

There has been a significant rise in the number of attempted attacks on both sides of the Green Line since the beginning of March. These include a planned bombing at the Lev Hamifratz mall in Haifa last month, where an explosives-laden car was discovered after a small explosion; the bomb was defused and caused no injuries.

Other incidents include the shooting death of two police officers in the Jordan Valley, the fatal axing of a 13-year-old boy in the Gush Etzion settlement of Bat Ayin, a knifing in the Beit Haggai settlement near Hebron, a tractor attack in Jerusalem and an attempt to run over police officers involved in the razing of a terrorist's East Jerusalem home.

In the Negev, Border Police officers killed a Bedouin girl who opened fire on a Border Police base.

Security sources told Haaretz Sunday that the attacks do not seem to be related. Some of the assailants are thought to have acted on their own, apparently due to incitement in the Arab media and mosques or a desire to avenge the death of Palestinian civilians, especially children, killed in Israeli military operations.

The main incentive for recent revenge attacks is the Israel Defense Forces operation in the Gaza Strip, which killed hundreds of civilians. Over the last few weeks there has been an increase in violent demonstrations in the West Bank, and three Palestinians were killed over the weekend: a demonstrator from Bil'in who was hit by a tear gas canister, a youth who threw a firebomb in Beit El and the knife-wielding terrorist who infiltrated Beit Haggai.

In addition to Operation Cast Lead, security sources attribute the escalation to a feeling among Palestinians that the peace process has come to a standstill. The rise of the Netanyahu government has intensified Palestinian concerns regarding settlement expansion and the prospect that the peace talks will not be restarted anytime soon.

The quality of security coordination between the Israeli and Palestinian security forces in the West Bank may also have been damaged. Since the Netanyahu government was sworn in, top Fatah officials in the West Bank have been saying that the organization should consider taking up arms against Israel again.