Terrorist attacks on Israelis reach 2.5-year high
Israel sees 40 percent increase in incidents from April to May this year, with 365 attacks recorded in total
May saw the highest number of terrorist attacks in 2.5 years against Israelis, following an increase of almost 40 percent from the 223 incidents recorded in April.
Of the 365 attacks recorded in May, 271 involved firebombs, the Israel Security Agency said in its monthly report, published this week. The increase occurred in Jerusalem and the West Bank as well as along Israel’s border with Gaza.
The tally for May is the highest on record since October 2015, when 620 attacks were recorded. One Israeli died as a result of attacks, a soldier who was killed after a stone slab was dropped on his head from a height. Four more soldiers were injured, one in an explosion in Jerusalem and three others, as well as one civilian, from a rocket near Gaza.
Hamas has organised a number of deadly riots weekly along the border with Israel, labelling them nonviolent events despite the fact that they featured the hurling of firebombs at troops near the fence and attempts to breach it. More than 135 Palestinians have died in these riots since March, Ma’an News reported. On Thursday, the Palestinian news agency reported that a 23-year-old Gazan, Muhammad Ghassan Abu Farhana, died the previous day from wounds he sustained during a massive riot on May 14, when Israeli troops killed 61 people. A senior Hamas official said that 50 of the 61 killed in or immediately after that riot were members of his organisation.
Many countries, including the United Kingdom, France and Sweden, have condemned Israel for what they see as an overly aggressive response to the protests. The United States blamed Hamas for the violence and vetoed a U.N. Security Council draft motion blaming Israel.
Additionally, Palestinians have burned hundreds of acres of land near the border by sending over kites carrying torches and helium balloons.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
