Despite the fact that the wave of terror begun last September continues, figures provided by the IDF spokesperson’s office point to a significant decline in violence in Judea and Samaria in March. According to the IDF figures — which are vastly different from other records in that they count only events that were severe enough to attract major Israeli media attention, and thus help distort the daily reality of the intifada — there have been 168 attacks in Judea and Samaria between September 2015 and March 2016, most of which were recorded last October. The lowest figure since September was recorded in March — 10 attacks.
The IDF reports the most significant decline in ramming by car: while between October and December there were 24 ramming attacks, since January there have been only four such attacks on record. As to stabbing attacks: October saw 27 stabbings, November 15, December 12, January and February 11 each, and in March the figure was down to 5. Live fire attacks were down from 13 in October to 3 in March.
In October there were 442 stone throwing events, compared with 234 in February and 165 in March. October marked 88 Molotov cocktails, compared with 20 in March.
And, to a nation obsessed by the killing of a wounded terrorist on the ground, here is the IDF’s overall account of casualties: from October 1 to March 31 medical treatment was given to 430 Arabs, out of whom 91 died and 30 were critically injured. At the same period 470 IDF soldiers were treated: 424 with light injuries, 26 moderate, 13 critical and 7 soldiers lost their lives.
The IDF optimistic report is challenged by daily reports from the field conducted by the website Hakol Hayehudi, which documents every attack, down to every stone throwing Arab mob, a list they dubbed “The Silenced Intifada.” According to their list, just on Sunday this week, these attacks were recorded:
Arabs rioted in the village of Tira
Arabs threw stones near the Jerusalem neighborhood of Armon Hanatziv
Arabs rioted in the Samaria village of Qabatiya
Arabs firebombed vehicles at Bani Naim junction on Mount Hebron
Arabs threw three Molotov cocktails at an IDF force in Umm Salmona near Efrat
Arabs threw a firebomb near Ateret
Arabs threw a firebomb near Alei Zahav
Arabs threw stones near Rachel’s tomb
Arabs threw stones near Tekoa
Arabs threw stones and hurled Molotov cocktails in Issawiya
Arabs threw stones in Shuqba
Arabs threw stones at Al-Ram
Arabs threw stones near P’sagot
Arabs threw stones at cars near Halhul
A Terrorist was arrested on his way to carry out an attack in the Beit El area
Arabs hurled stones at vehicles near Al Khader
An Arab attempted a stabbing attack at the Tapuach intersection and was arrested
An Arab woman stabbed and lightly injured a Jewish woman in Rosh Ha’ayin
Arabs again hurled stones at vehicles near Al Khader
Arabs hurled stones at vehicles in Huwwara. The vehicle was damaged.
Imagine, these reports were recorded on Sunday, March 3, alone. They present a completely different picture, one of persistent lawlessness resembling some third world countries in the midst of a civil war — which this intifada, like the two that preceded it, is.