Escalation of Street Attacks in Israel Coinciding with Biden's Visit

As street attacks continue in several cities in Israel, the country's police assessed that this wave of attacks is linked to U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's visit to Israel. On Tuesday and Wednesday, March 8 and 9, street attacks with cold and hot weapons by Palestinians targeting people in the streets of several Israeli cities resumed. According to Israel Radio, the police command stated that although the attacks were carried out independently by Palestinians without a unified plan behind them, the arrival of the U.S. Vice President has influenced the subsequent actions of the Palestinian attackers. Mr. Biden, who arrived in Israel on Tuesday evening, was present near the site while the city of 'Jaffa' on the Tel Aviv coast was still in the midst of an attack by a knife-wielding assailant against American and Russian tourists. Mr. Biden had gone to the 'Peres Peace Foundation' in 'Jaffa' to meet with former Israeli President Shimon Peres. According to Israeli media, Joe Biden said, 'At this moment, this place is witnessing an attack; these attacks are condemned, and people in Israel should not be the target of unjust assaults.' Israeli security forces located and neutralized the assailant from the Jaffa attack after an hour. In the Jaffa attack, a 29-year-old American tourist was killed, and his wife was seriously injured. Several of the eleven wounded transferred to the hospital were described as being in 'critical' condition. On Tuesday evening in 'Petah Tikva', a Palestinian man attacked a Jewish passerby with a knife; the injured Jew pulled the knife out of his body and, in a struggle with the Palestinian, killed him with the same knife. Also at the same time, a young Palestinian armed with a pistol shot at armed Israeli soldiers in East Jerusalem, injuring two. This Palestinian was also killed on the spot. Early Tuesday, a 50-year-old Palestinian woman was killed while attempting to stab an Israeli soldier near Al-Aqsa; shortly after, a Palestinian girl with a knife was arrested before an attack in 'Qalandiya' in the West Bank. On Wednesday, March 9, street attacks resumed, and a Palestinian driver rammed into neighboring cars on a street between East and West Jerusalem. The fleeing Palestinian driver was found after an hour and was killed by an armed Israeli civilian. Hamas praised the attacks on Tuesday as a 'day filled with the heroic actions of martyrs.' Since the night of the Jewish New Year last September, Palestinian street attacks have continued, affecting many aspects of life for both Israelis and Palestinians, with no prospect for peace in sight. Israeli opposition leaders harshly criticized Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday and Wednesday for the escalating insecurity. A poll by Israel's Channel One on Tuesday showed that the majority of people were very dissatisfied with the government's inability to ensure the security of citizens. Joe Biden, who is on a Middle East tour, discussed a new package of U.S. military aid to Israel with Benjamin Netanyahu in a meeting in Jerusalem on Wednesday. According to Israeli media, following this meeting, Netanyahu stated in a joint press conference with Mr. Biden that Mahmoud Abbas is 'not a partner for peace' and encourages actions such as the killing of American tourists.