A deadly attack at the Allenby Bridge border crossing on Thursday, in which a Jordanian terrorist killed two Israeli soldiers, has intensified fears of a wider outbreak of Palestinian violence that could spread across the West Bank and Jerusalem.
The gunman, identified as Abed al-Mutaleb al-Qaisi, a Jordanian national contracted by the Jordanian army to drive a truck delivering aid to Gaza, crossed into the Israeli side of the border on Thursday. He pulled out a pistol at close range and shot Lt. Col. (res.) Yitzhak Harosh, 68, and Sgt. Oran Hershko, 20, before stabbing them. A security guard killed him moments later.
The attack followed a deadly shooting in Jerusalem last week and brought Israel’s death toll from violence in the area to eight in just 14 days, a level not seen in months. The military immediately suspended humanitarian aid deliveries from Jordan, halting about 150 trucks a week bound for Gaza.
Security officials say overall levels of West Bank violence are at their lowest in 25 years. Still, they warn that a surge of attacks could ignite wider unrest, especially in Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority. “After so many years in this sector, it’s still hard to know what will trigger a wave of terror,” one security official told Ynet. “But looking at recent events, it is worrying.”
Officials fear that a chain of successful attacks could embolden others, creating a “copycat effect” and sparking street protests and riots. Such unrest could force Israel to divert troops from Gaza operations to the West Bank, straining resources and undermining military gains in its current campaign.
The risk is heightened, officials say, by a combustible mix of factors: the upcoming holiday season, the olive harvest, international debate over Palestinian statehood at the United Nations, Israel’s political response to that push, economic pressures on the Palestinian Authority and images of war in Gaza.
The Allenby Bridge attack and others in recent weeks serve as a “serious warning sign,” the security official said. With 22 battalions already stationed across the West Bank, the military has presented contingency plans to the government should escalating violence coincide with political developments.
“Any event in the West Bank can light the match,” the official said. “A photo, an attack, a diplomatic move — it can all set things ablaze.”