Israeli Warplanes Circle the West Bank as the Third Intifada Looms

On Saturday night, Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes between the densely populated West Bank cities of Nablus (northern West Bank) and Ramallah (southern West Bank) after the increased violence reported in the area over the last 48 hours.

Reports from local activists confirmed that Israeli fighter jets were circling the M-60 Highway (Jerusalem-Nazareth Highway) that stretches from the holy city of Jerusalem to the city of Nazareth; this highway travels through the entire West Bank area that is under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

The Israeli warplanes are still circling the area in search of the culprits that killed the Israeli settler couple inside the West Bank city of Nablus on Friday -the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have conducted a number of raids in the area, but have yet to make any arrests.

As the violence increases in the West Bank, many Palestinian activists are calling for the start of the “Third Intifada” (tremor) after the untimely death of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad member, Dhiya ‘Abdel-Haleem Talahmeh, last week.

The last intifada took place in the summer of 2000 when the future Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, made an unwelcomed visit to the Temple Mount (Islamic holy site), resulting in a public outcry from Palestinian activists, which eventually led to war.