Blinken Visits Israel Amid Palestinian Terror Attacks

The initial event: On Thursday, the Israeli Army raided a refugee camp in the West Bank known to be a Palestinian militant stronghold. Palestinian militants opened fire, and a gun battle ensued. Nine were killed in total by the Israeli Defense Force, with Palestinian terror groups claiming seven as their members. Two Palestinians were reportedly civilians.

Palestinian militants respond: A 21-year-old Palestinian shot and killed seven Israeli civilians near a synagogue on Friday, during the Jewish Sabbath. Among those killed was a 14-year-old boy. Celebrations were held in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to honor the successful terror attack. A day later, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy opened fire in Jerusalem again, injuring an Israeli man and his son.

What’s next? The Israeli government is making it easier for Israelis to carry guns for self-defense—the new national security minister said “when civilians have guns, they can defend themselves.” Increased efforts to collect illegal weapons and strengthen Israeli settlements were also announced.

Blinken’s trip: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be arriving this week to help with de-escalation efforts. Notably, the Biden administration sent nearly half a billion taxpayer dollars to the Palestinian government, which openly funds terrorism. (Biden is currently being sued for this.)