Playing with Fire
The security paradox of Judea and Samaria: just as Palestinian terrorism declines, Jewish nationalist crime rises by 63% in the first half of 2026. The shooting attack in the village of Tel ignited a chain of price tag incidents, and the IDF faces a shortage of forces as settlement expands. 26 battalions in the West Bank, lack of training, and fear of a cycle of revenge that could ignite the area.
The article analyzes the complex security situation in Judea and Samaria, focusing on the paradox: a decline in Palestinian terrorism alongside a sharp rise in Jewish nationalist crime. The severe shooting attack on Friday, July 25, 2026, on the outskirts of the village of Tel, in which Binyahu Malet and Yuval Ezra were killed, ignited a chain of price tag incidents – arson of mosques and vehicles and spray-painting of revenge slogans. The author, Yossi Yehoshua, notes that the IDF deploys 26 battalions in the West Bank – an unprecedented number – but faces a shortage of forces due to a multi-front war. Settlement is expanding: 80 new settlements were approved, 34 were established, along with over 100 agricultural farms and outposts. Security establishment data shows 660 nationalist crime incidents in the first half of 2026 – a 63% increase compared to the second half of 2025. Six Palestinians were killed and 140 wounded. The author warns of a cycle of revenge that could ignite the area, emphasizing that the military is worn down by multiple missions.