The Shin Bet is too busy revealing its secret operations on the television show "Uvda" ("Fact") with host Dr. Ilana Dayan in an effort to beat the Israel Defense Forces in the race for the glory of most successful intelligence during the Gaza war, and it is not paying attention to the substantial information about Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' intentions. Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen must answer this essential question: Does the PA leader understand that the violent riots carried out by Islamic extremists threaten his rule more than they threaten stability in Israel? Israel does not yet have enough satisfactory information, only vague opinions, which could be seen as wishful thinking on the part of the Shin Bet and army intelligence. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon both committed to uphold the status quo on the Temple Mount -- the focal point of the growing unrest. Abbas does not promote and welcome that commitment but instead continues in his way, insisting that Israel is changing the situation on the Temple Mount and is responsible for a future religious war, God forbid. His stance offers no real contribution to calm apart from the understanding that he is to maintain relative quiet in Judea and Samaria, where he is in control. He is indifferent to seeing Jerusalem bleed as it is the sole responsibility of Israel. That is the same pattern of behavior exhibited by his rival, Hamas. They incite the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria to shatter the tense calm, to destroy it with hit-and-run attacks, stones and knives. But they are careful to ensure calm within the Gaza Strip in order to prevent Israel from attacking. The Israeli message is more complicated. The dilemma was raised in Netanyahu's speech. On one hand, there is the commitment to equal rights for the Arab population, which involves ignoring the folly of punishing the criminals by taking away their citizenship; And on the other hand, there are intensified means of enforcement being implemented to stop the riots before they start. But the Israeli Arabs are acting just like their brothers in the territories, where Hamas and Islamic Jihad supporters dance on the spilled blood and subscribe to Ya'alon's warning: Every unsuccessful ramming or stabbing attack is paired with a second attack. Now, in this burning reality, and before the struggle intensifies at the U.N. Security Council, which is preparing to discuss the Palestinian proposal for Israel to return to Green Line borders within two years -- we need painkillers for Jerusalem, but there is no medication for this Arab extremism. Netanyahu must work to prove to Israel's friends in the West that it is within his control to stop the verbal belligerence coming from ministers and Knesset members in the coalition, who took the short cut through the Temple Mount to the upcoming party primaries. This all comes at the expense of the nation.
