The current wave of Arab terror may appear to some observers to be a random war on Israel, but in most cases, nothing could be further from the truth.
Veteran Israeli journalist Hadas Shteif contends the terrorists are targeting Jews who look like hareidi-religious and Zionist settlers and soldiers.
That is, easily-identifiable targets who appear to have a certain status as Israelis and as Jews.
We agree.
Within Israeli society, IDF soldiers carry a high status since they protect our citizens and our Land. The vast majority of today’s Israeli military is comprised of older teens and young adults. Army officers can be in their early 20s. They are the pride of parents and citizens alike.
Hareidi-religious settlers are also much admired in some circles for their strength of purpose and commitment to the country.
It is the hareidi-religious settlers who are willing to endure the hardships intrinsic in life in a small community far from central municipal services, with Palestinian Arabs as their closest neighbors.
There have been long periods when both Jews and Arabs benefitted from the relationships that developed between the two populations.
But propaganda by corrupt leadership has advanced the geopolitical machinations by those who cynically radicalized a younger generation for use in a war not of their making.
Sadly, those who declare they are willing to die as “martyrs” for “the cause” have no idea whose cause they are even talking about.
But they have been trained to spot their targets from afar, by watching for the style of dress and body language that is unique to the Torah-observant Jewish residents of Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem, and of course, IDF soldiers.
Premium targets, easily spotted and attacked more often than any other in the State of Israel. Valued more often as well.