2023 brought a notable rise in deadly individual attacks by young Palestinians against Israelis in occupied East Jerusalem. In the first six weeks of 2023, young Palestinians acted independently and carried out at least five deadly attacks, which left 11 Israelis dead. The most common form of these attacks are stabbings, car-rammings and shootings.
These attacks often involve the lone perpetrator acting independently of any political organisation to commit a violent act against an unplanned target. Given their ‘lone wolf’ nature, these attacks are notoriously difficult to predict or prevent, making them all the more dangerous.
On 15 February, following a series of deadly individual attacks, the Israeli government approved a plan to enhance security in Jerusalem. The plan involves three main elements: Improve surveillance operations through deploying additional units of border police and security forces operating in Jerusalem, enhance quick responses by focusing on intelligence gathering and preventative arrests, and reinforce civilian facilities such as adding fortifications to bus stops. These measures could further complicate the sense of security and they would not stop individual attacks.
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East Jerusalem is home to more than 370,000 Palestinians who live in close quarters with Israeli security forces and illegal settlers, and more security measures would lead to further daily friction and tensions. Palestinians are passionate about their right to exist as citizens of Palestine and struggle against perceived aggression by settlers and security personnel. Many Palestinians contend that they are not treated the same as people living in other parts of Jerusalem, which would fuel the continued acts of violence by Palestinians determined to defend what they see as their right to exist in their city. Despite increased surveillance, the political complexity of this city makes it very challenging for authorities to contain such attacks.
Moreover, lone wolf attackers are often not affiliated with any political group and they do not require external assistance. So it is more difficult for intelligence agencies to anticipate such acts. Despite their best efforts to increase intelligence, the fact remains that many such attacks come as a surprise and are challenging for the Israelis to put an end to. Attackers are able to evade detection from authorities who struggle to accurately identify potential threats ahead of time. And due to their lack of affiliation with any particular political group or organisation, it can be especially challenging for Israeli security forces to monitor the activities or movements of those who intend to carry out such attacks.
The lone wolf attackers are usually young Palestinians who act spontaneously in response to an oppressive atmosphere. Last spring, Israel began ‘Operation Break the Wave” to counter the rising militancy in the West Bank after a series of attacks targeting Israelis. Since the beginning of 2023, about 61 Palestinians have been killed, and hundreds of youth have been arrested. A day after Israeli troops killed nine Palestinian on 26 January during a raid in the Jenin refugee camp, a 21-year-old Palestinian lone gunman from East Jerusalem shot and killed seven Israelis in the illegal East Jerusalem settlement of Neve Yaakov.
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Despite stern opposition from the head of Israel Security Agency, the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has ramped up efforts to stir tensions with Palestinians living in Jerusalem. In a tweet he wrote that “police have authority” – starting oppressive actions on the ground ranging from building demolitions, daily raids and arrest operations. This sparked an outcry amongst young Palestinians, already feeling suffocated by discrimination and inequality, determined to begin civil disobedience against these collective punishment measures.
Finally, continued Israeli repression indeed has a role to play here as it provides Palestinian social media platforms with more content to share their grievances. Lone wolf attacks have been motivated by social media as they are exposed to online echo chambers through platforms such as Facebook and TikTok. This is where people come together to share their experiences, encourage each other’s views, and reaffirm their commitment to their cause. So suppressive Israeli measures would further extend the level of anger among teens affected by videos and posts circulated on social media.
For young Palestinians, seeing messages of support and encouragement on these platforms can be a powerful source of inspiration. Additionally, images and videos of martyrs and heroes can help to perpetuate a sense of duty to continue their struggle. As a result, many lone wolf attackers find the courage within themselves to carry out attacks because they believe that such acts are both meaningful for the cause and will ultimately lead them to glory in the eyes of their peers via social media validation.
Amidst an obviously never-ending cycle of confrontation, Israeli security forces grapple with the problem of lone wolf attacks in Jerusalem. Despite their dedication to thwarting such actions through intelligence and surveillance methods as well as tighter borders, young Palestinians will be motivated to retaliate against harsh steps like checkpoints, demolitions and collective punishment measures – underscoring an ongoing conflict that has yet to be resolved by deeper political solutions.
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The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.
Montather Rassoul