Israel: military intelligence chief says Jewish holidays ‘always a sensitive period’

Israel’s head of military Intelligence, Major General Aharon Haliva, said on Monday that Jewish holidays are “are always a sensitive period.” Haliva made his comment at a conference in the occupation state.

“The [Jewish] holidays are always a sensitive period, but I estimate that there is potential for significant incidents,” he explained. “It is in the interest of the Palestinians to lower the amount of terrorism [sic] in the area and stabilise the governance of the Palestinian Authority.”

At the same time he suggested that Israel needs to do the right things to stabilise the PA. “It is an Israeli security interest.”

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The Israeli occupation army has increased its presence in the West Bank following an increase of Palestinian resistance within the occupation state. The army has stepped up its nightly arrest raids in cities like Jenin and Nablus. However, troops have met with armed Palestinian resistance.

Attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem have also increased. Islamic scholars have called for a quick response to such incidents.

Since the beginning of this year, Israeli soldiers have killed more than 80 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, a sharp increase from 2021. The Chief of Staff, Aviv Kochavi, has blamed the increase in Palestinian resistance in the occupied territory on the PA, which in turn blames Israel.