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Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=3210
"Soft Escalation" in the West Bank
(Israel Hayom) Alexander Bligh - In the West Bank rock throwing is becoming more prevalent and acts of terror are on the rise. These incidents occur with the implicit, and sometimes explicit, approval of the Palestinian Authority, with a sense that this "soft escalation" is well orchestrated. Abbas says he doesn't want another armed intifada, but he won't oppose a popular uprising by the masses. The official Palestinian position is not yet focused on support for a third, violent intifada. However, drawing Israel into a violent campaign at home would facilitate Arab efforts to portray Israel to the Americans as the aggressors and to divert Israel's focus from attacking Iran. The writer is director of the Middle East Research Center at Ariel University.