Shin Bet report: Rise in attacks against Arabs

The number of anti-Arab attacks by right-wing activists in Israel rose from 18 in 2012 to 25 attacks in 2013, according to the annual Shin Bet security agency report released this week.

The report revealed that four people had been injured in 2013 in right-wing attacks, as compared to six such injuries in 2012. No deaths were recorded.

The report detailed efforts by the Shin Bet, Israel Police and Israel Defense Forces to detain dozens of right-wing activists for questioning over the past year, improving efforts to prevent future attacks.

Arrests were made on the basis of Shin Bet intelligence. In 2013, 70 Jewish Israelis were indicted for harming Arab residents, whereas only 46 such indictments were recorded in 2012. Last year, 13 administrative restraining orders were also issued to restrict entry to Judea and Samaria.

The so-called "price-tag" offenses, pinpointed attacks by right-wing activists, have been defined by the political leadership as "terror incidents" and are not mentioned in the report. Classified as "incidents" rather than "attacks," price-tag offenses fall under the authority of the Israel Police.

Meanwhile, three young men in their 20s were arrested at the Mughrabi Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem on Tuesday on suspicion of planning a provocation at the controversial Temple Mount. During a search, the men were found to be carrying Israeli flags in their bags, and one had even hidden a flag in his underwear. The police believe the trio had planned to plant the flags on the Temple Mount, in contravention of the site's rules. They were released following questioning.