Title: Surge in Terrorism-Related Murders Alarms Israeli Public
Subtitle: Government criticized for failure to curb escalating violence
Date: August 24, 2023
In the past two days, three more innocent lives have been tragically lost to terrorism, causing an alarming spike in the number of citizens murdered by terrorists in Israel this year. This surge has now brought the total to the highest it has been in a decade.
According to reports, in 2014, a total of 36 civilians and soldiers fell victim to non-combat terrorist attacks. Additionally, Operation Protective Edge claimed the lives of 75 soldiers and civilians. The graph accompanying this article demonstrates that the number of people killed in terrorism peaked during the second intifada, gradually declining after the ‘Protective Wall’ operation. However, there has been an unfortunate reversal in recent years.
Netanyahu, during his time in power, managed to keep the number of murder cases relatively low, with a slight increase following Operation Protective Edge and subsequent waves of terror. The trend seemed to be decreasing until 2020, which recorded only three murders. However, since then, the trend has shifted, and the number of murder cases has been steadily on the rise.
In 2021, Netanyahu proudly boasted of 12 full months without a terrorist attack. Unfortunately, this celebratory claim was short-lived, as the very next day witnessed the killing of a fighter at the Gaza border. It appears that hardly a week has passed without a murder since then. It is worth noting that the current government, led by Bennett and Lapid, assumed power a year after that attack took place. However, just before the arrival of 2023, Netanyahu established a right-wing government, and ever since, the number of murdered citizens continues to increase.
During the Bennett-Lapid government in 2022, the number of murder cases rose to 29, and this year, the count has already reached 34. It is important to highlight that we are only in the month of August, with four and a half months still left in 2023.
The alarming rise in terrorism-related murders has spurred criticism towards the current government. Prior to their assumption of power, members of the present government were part of the opposition. Digging into their archives reveals slogans that attracted masses of right-wing voters just ten months ago.
Former opposition leader and now Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, tweeted during Bennett’s tenure, calling for a strong national government led by himself. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also served in the opposition, took to Twitter to emphasize the need for voters to choose a government that prioritized defeating terrorism and restoring security.
Meanwhile, Minister Itamar Ben Gabir, also a former opposition member, made his thoughts clear after the Hadera attack in March 2022. He criticized the government’s reliance on the Islamic movement, expressing concerns about the country’s security.
The escalating violence and the government’s perceived failure to curb it have raised questions about the effectiveness of the current leadership. As the number of murdered citizens continues to rise, calls for change are growing louder from the public and political opponents alike.
It remains to be seen how the government will respond to these pressing security challenges, and whether effective measures can be implemented to ensure the safety of Israeli citizens.