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Scene of Bat Yam blast
Photo: Motti Kimchi

Shin Bet: Twice as many terror attacks in 2013 as in 2012

Security agency's annual report indicates that 5 Israelis were killed in the past year in attacks in West Bank, compared to 0 in 2012. Overall 2013 saw 1,271 terror attacks

The General Security Service's annual report for the year of 2013 indicates a decline in the number of Israelis killed in terrorist attacks in comparison to 2012: Six people were killed, compared to ten in the previous year.

 

 

However, the report shows that the majority of the victims in 2013 were killed in attacks in the West Bank, as opposed to 2012, during which no Israelis were killed in terrorist attacks that originated in the West Bank.

 

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At the same time, in the past year no Israelis were killed as a result of attacks that originated in the Sinai Peninsula, as opposed to two killed in 2012 and eight in 2011.

 

The report pertains to the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and Sinai regions. Most of 2013's victims were killed in attacks carried out by local organizations and the rest of the attacks were carried out by single perpetrators. In the past year, 44 people were injured, compared to 40 in 2012 (when Operation Pillar of Defense took place). Most of the victims were injured by firebombs or stones that were hurled at them.

 

However, despite the decline in the number of casualties, the number of attacks in the West Banks was doubled in 2013, with 1,271 attacks in comparison to 578 attacks in 2012.

 

2013 saw 201 firearm attacks , in comparison to 37 such attacks in 2012. During the past year, there was a 60% increase in the number of attacks that had amateur characteristics such as the Molotov cocktails (considered relatively easy to produce).

 

In Jerusalem there was a decline in the number of attacks in the past year: 126, compared with 187 in the year of 2012.

 

The Gaza Strip saw a sharp decline in the number of attacks: 55 in 2013 compared to 1,130 in 2012, but the figure refers mainly to rocket-fire. The decline was preceded by understandings reached after Operation Pillar of Defense. In 2013, 64 rockets and 11 mortar shells were fired at Israel, compared to 2,327 rockets and 230 mortar shells in 2012. (Most of the rockets were launched during Operation Pillar of Defense).

 

However, even attacks that were not in the form of rocket-fire saw a significant decrease: 16 attacks in 2013 compared to 52 in 2012.

 

The decline in the number of launches is not parallel to Hamas' and the Islamic Jihad's empowerment and force-building efforts, which includes the manufacturing of rockets with a range of 75 km (46 miles) that can reach the Tel Aviv metropolitan area and the digging of 'terror tunnels' that lead from the Gaza Strip into Israel.

 

Which attacks were thwarted?

In 2013, a total of 190 serious terror attacks were foiled, including 16 suicide attacks, compared to 112 attacks in 2012.

 

According to the Shin Bet, 40 terrorist attacks that were targeted by prisoners from the Gaza Strip released as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner swap deal were also foiled.  

 

Israel counterterrorism operations and the Egyptian army's work in thwarting terrorist infrastructures in Sinai led to a decline in the number of attacks carried out from Egypt. In 2013, three attacks were carried out in Israel from Sinai (rocket-fire), compared to 11 in 2012.

 

Attacks executed by Jewish Israelis

In the past year, there has been a rise in the number of radical right wing activists who carried out attacks against Arabs (25 as opposed to 18 in 2012). The past year also saw a decline in the number of anarchist activities in the West Bank, partly as a result of the dissolution of the ISM (International Solidarity Movement).

 

In 2013 there were no attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets around the world, but the Shin Bet stresses in their report the continued existence of Iran's and other organizations' (that are operating under their patronage) motivation to carry out attacks.

 

The involvement of Israeli Arabs in attacks continued to be minor this year.

 


פרסום ראשון: 01.27.14, 20:08
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