The Heat Is On

Neve Dekalim

The violence is starting, but is on a really small scale. There is shoving, burning dumpsters, and throwing paint and water bottles. But please don't forget the real violence of mortars and shooting attacks on the settlements and IDF by the palestinians every day currently. That's the real violence. This stuff is only highly charged emotion coming out. The IDF don't want violence, and the settlers don't want real violence (they want to shove and burn things, but they don't want to hurt soldiers).

I am afraid, though, that it may get worse. At midnight tonight, Tuesday, the grace period runs out, and the arrests begin. The physical nature of arrests - handcuffs and throwing protesters into busses - may spark this protest violence into physical violence. Please God, let it all go peacefully.