Security Officials Warn of Broad Judea and Samaria Uprising Risk

Israeli security officials are examining a scenario in which Palestinian villages launch a broad popular uprising involving mass violence, weapons seizures and attempts to attack nearby Jewish communities and farms. The assessment follows a week of deadly attacks and confrontations in Judea and Samaria, with officials saying Palestinians have shown greater willingness to confront Israelis entering Arab villages in large groups. Security officials compared the concern more closely to the First Intifada than the Second. The IDF has reinforced operations, arrested more than 70 wanted suspects and restricted Palestinian labor access to Israeli communities as friction rises.