Despite a spike in terrorist attacks in recent weeks, settlers in Samaria in the northern West Bank say they still feel safe and are aiming to live life as usual.
In Ariel, a settlement 6 km. from Huwara, where two Israelis were murdered by a Palestinian terrorist two weeks ago, the mall was bustling with shoppers starting off the week, getting groceries, clothes or a late lunch.
In just over two months since 2023 began, 14 Israelis have been murdered in four terrorist attacks and a number of others have been wounded in additional attacks, the most recent of which took place in Tel Aviv on Thursday.
Feelings of residents in Ariel
In the past year, four Israelis were killed in terrorist attacks in or next to Ariel.
Despite the wave of violence, one group of shoppers, when asked how they felt about the current security situation, stressed that they feel completely safe.
Another shopper, Y., a resident of Eli, a settlement southeast of Ariel, noted that he hasn’t seen a big difference in how people are going about their day, despite the rise in violence.
“I don’t feel a difference,” said Y. “Already for a year the security situation, not just in Judea and Samaria, but throughout the entire country – especially in Jerusalem – has not been great. The IDF is doing good things, but it seems it’s not enough. It’s hard, the situation is complex. I don’t know if any other country would be able to handle it as well as we have, but we need to aim to do better, always to do better for the improvement of personal and national security.”
Y. added that “We trust the army, but the situation is complex. I don’t think we’re any different than those living in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, [terrorism] can come from anywhere. Maybe because we live here surrounded by Arabs it looks more complex, but in general the security situation throughout the country isn’t simple.”
R., a resident of Ariel who was shopping at the mall, said she feels that the rise in the number of firearms spread among Palestinians is a major factor in the recent spike in terrorist attacks.
“Recently, the security of the residents was a little undermined because of the behavior of the Arabs, the terrorists. The stabbings and shootings in the middle of the street are not usual here,” said R.
The Ariel resident compared the violence to crime in Chicago, saying “it’s becoming somewhat similar here because the Arabs have guns. When they didn’t have guns it was much more calm. Stabbings and stone-throwing they’ve always done.”
R. . stressed that Palestinian terrorists do not differentiate between civilians and soldiers or kids and adults. “They don’t differentiate between good and bad, it’s all ‘a Jew is a Jew’ by them. But now it’s kind of escalated because they have guns and they must not be allowed to have guns. They’re not like the army, where every soldier knows exactly when it’s ok to use a weapon, even waiting until they themselves are injured sometimes. By them, there’s nothing like this. They see a little kid and ram into him or shoot or stab him.”
Concerning the government’s efforts to stop the spike in terrorism, R. said, “We had previous governments that did nothing. They gave [the Palestinians] money, a lot of power, and we saw how [the Palestinians] responded, they weren’t even scared of soldiers. Now, [the government] gives a little more power to the soldiers, which I support.
“I am sure that this government, because it is very right-wing, there are people who weren’t here before who are making a little order and this is causing a little noise, but I believe that this will be sorted out in the end.”