Shin Bet: Significant rise in Palestinian attacks

YAAKOV LAPPIN   A total of 139 attacks, including firebombings and improvised explosives occurred in the W. Bank and east J'lem in last month.

The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) released a report Tuesday documenting a significant rise in Palestinian attacks in the West Bank and east Jerusalem in February. A total of 139 attacks, including firebombings and improvised explosives, occurred in February, compared to 83 in January. Two members of the security forces and one civilian were wounded during violent disturbances involving rocks and Molotov cocktails in east Jerusalem and the southern West Bank, according to the figures. One civilian sustained wounds in the Beitunya region, and two security officers were hurt in Jerusalem and Hebron. A total of 100 attacks took place in the West Bank in February - 84 of them firebombings - compared to 56 attacks that occurred in the previous month. In the capital, 38 attack - 35 of them firebombings - were registered by the Shin Bet in February, compared to 27 in January. February also saw a single rocket attack from Gaza on southern Israel. None occurred in the month before.   In total, there were 15 improvised explosive attacks, one shooting, two stabbings, one attack involving a vehicle running over an officer, and 111 instances of firebombings throughout the course of the past month.