Israel fears the worst after statehood bid

Tension is rising in Israel and the occupied territories with clashes now a daily event ahead of the UN decision on Palestinian statehood.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called for any demonstration in support of the intitiative to be peaceful, but the Israelis are on high alert, fearing the worst. Many fear open revolt is creeping nearer.

“The Palestinian decision to go to the United Nations is a mistake. It will not help peace and won’t help bring about Palestinian statehood. The only way to statehood is through negotiations, through peace negotiations,” said Israeli spokeman Mark Regev.

Some Jewish settlers are getting ready for trouble by staging mock protests with some dressed as Palestinian protesters to give their security guards practice. One of them was quizzed by a journalist:

“We are holding a mock drill preparing for what is about to happen.”

“What is about to happen?”

“Violence by the Arabs after after the UN announcement, after their UN announcement.”

The Israeli army regularly trains settler emergency response teams, and provides them with weapons. They are often the first to arrive on the scene when trouble breaks out.

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