Jerusalem sees 72% drop in terrorist attacks

(JTA) — The number of terrorist attacks recorded in Israel dropped last month by 38 percent over October nationally — largely thanks to a 72-percent drop in incidents in Jerusalem.

The Israel Security Agency, or Shin Bet, recorded a total of 95 attacks in November, with only nine in Jerusalem, compared to 153 attacks in October nationally and 48 in Israel’s capital, according to the security agency’s monthly report, which it published on its website earlier this week.

Only one Israeli, a member of the security forces, was wounded in the November attacks — he sustained minor injuries – compared to 23 wounded and two killed during the previous month.

The drop in attacks makes the November tally the second lowest figure recorded since October 2015, when 620 attacks were recorded following a near tripling over the previous month. The lowest figure recorded in any month after that conflagration was in August of this year, with 93 incidents.

But for Jerusalem, November has been the calmest month since the flare-up last year, which Palestinian nationalists said was over Israeli actions endangering the al-Aksa Mosque, which is located on the Temple Mount. Israel’s government denied these claims, maintaining it was keeping the status quo.

The Shin Bet reports do not include dozens of incidents of rock throwing that occur every month, mainly in the West Bank.

According to the Palestinian Maan news agency, more than 275 individuals have died during the wave of unrest starting from Oct. 1, 2015, including over 235 Palestinians, many of whom were killed while perpetrating attacks. During that period, attacks also caused the death of five foreign nationals — two Americans, one Eritrean, one Sudanese, and one Jordanian.

In September, October and November on 2015, the Shin Bet recorded 223, 620 and 326 attacks, respectively, in what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a “wave of terror.”