At a meeting of the Security Cabinet on Sept. 16, the chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot, warned that the chances of a violent confrontation in the West Bank now stand at anywhere from 60% to 80%. He did not use the term “intifada,” but everybody knew exactly what he meant. This warning, which was apparently based on an assessment by the Research Division of Military Intelligence, should have set red lights flashing for all the ministers. After all, the chief of staff was telling them as clearly as possible that a new wave of terrorism could break out in the West Bank at any given moment. Yet they chose to cast aspersions on his assessment, apparently for the very reasons he said could lead to an eruption of violence.
IDF officials believe the main factor that could spark the violence is the punitive measures that the Trump administration has been taking against the Palestinian Authority.
