If there was any doubt, it has been laid to rest. The wave of violence — be it called the third intifada or by some other name — has been ratcheted up a level. The Nov. 18 attack on the Bnei Torah Kehillat Yaakov synagogue was not an individual attack by a lone assailant on an impulsive quest for revenge driven by a calling to defend the Haram al-Sharif. Rather, what we saw was a well-planned terrorist attack. Even the US Consulate in East Jerusalem issued an advisory to Americans visiting or living in the city, explaining that the attack on the synagogue in the Har Nof neighborhood was different from the recent “run over” attacks. The statement read, “Today’s incident differs from the recent attacks, potentially demonstrating low-level coordination to attack a pre-identified soft target.” It also recommended precautionary measures one could take.

Indeed, the two terrorists, Rassan Abu Jamal and his cousin Uday Abu Jamal, both from Jabel Mukaber, knowingly embarked on a suicide mission. Both probably knew they would not leave the synagogue alive. Armed not with explosive belts, but axes, guns and knives, Rassan and Uday planned to die as “shahids” (martyrs).

In the aftermath of the attack, the residents of Jabel Mukaber proudly and fearlessly related that many youths are willing to become shahids for Jerusalem. Rassan and Uday might therefore become role models for other Palestinian youths in the city. What is more troubling is the way some residents of Jabel Mukaber as well as in other Arab neighborhoods in East Jerusalem welcomed this murderous attack. As initial reports from the scene began to filter out, residents from the assailants’ neighborhood gave out candy to passersby, praising their homegrown shahids who murdered Jews with knives and axes as they prayed in a synagogue. Local support for the murders and the expressions of happiness in Jerusalem, West Bank towns and the Gaza Strip, whose scope has yet to be assessed, are an ominous sign.

Encouraging young Palestinians to martyrdom (“shahada”), similarly to what occurred in the second intifada, is a sure sign of escalation. Punitive measures, deterrence and counterintelligence cannot stop these youths because they have the moral, cultural and religious backing of their own people. This support conveys a clear message to the youths, the underlying tenet of which is that the good and the brave who sacrifice their lives for their people are held above the rest and awarded eternal life.