The Diplomatic-Security Cabinet's decision to let the Shin Bet use administrative detention, and several other measures, to curtail Jewish terrorism is one of principle: The government and all its agencies have informed the world that they have declared war on Jewish terrorists. Ostensibly, this should have been the case even prior to the cabinet meeting. The Shin Bet and police have the authority necessary to detain and investigate, the military has the power to limit individuals' access to certain areas across Judea and Samaria, and the court system can prosecute and, if the evidence allows, convict would-be offenders. Nothing in Sunday's decision changes the reality that the Shin Bet could have pursued administrative detention before Friday's attack in the Palestinian village of Duma and the death of 18-month-old Ali Dawabsha. The situation on the ground, however, was different. Over the past few years, domestic terrorism has been somewhat tolerated. The defense establishment blames the "lenient" judiciary, and the courts blame the defense establishment for failing to come up with sufficient evidence. In reality, it seems everyone preferred to ignore the very clear warning signs, which indicated that leniency shown to Jewish terrorists who failed to put their nefarious plans into action would only prompt them to try again. Arson attempts against churches and mosques in recent years give ample examples. The Shin Bet knew exactly who the perpetrators were, but given the lack of ironclad evidence, there was little the security agency could do against them, apart from restricting their movements across Judea and Samaria. But such limitations are very difficult to enforce. The cabinet's decision seeks to allow law enforcement agencies to take a heavy hand against alleged Jewish terrorists based on intelligence alone, even given a lack of physical evidence, just as it does against Palestinian terrorist suspects. Had this been the policy in the past, the individuals involved in recent arson attacks would have been held in administrative detention, or at the very least would have been barred from the area under much stricter limitations, including the use of electronic ankle monitors to indicate their physical whereabouts at any given time. The new policy also entails the constant monitoring -- pestering, even -- of individuals suspected of being affiliated with hard-core Jewish terrorism activity, so that the hunters will become the hunted. Such monitoring is meant to be complemented by legal measures exacting a hefty price from anyone aiding and abetting Jewish terrorists, including rabbis whose sermons may endorse terrorist activities. However, there is little chance of that taking place, as history has proven that legal measures are taken only against actions -- not the noises comprising their background. Shin Bet officials have warned that if the agency is not allowed to increase its counterterrorism measures now, it may soon be too late. The terrorists known to carry out "price-tag" attacks -- a few dozen youths, most of them minors, who reside in illegal outposts across the Binyamin area of Samaria -- have been active since 2008, first over the eviction of illegal outposts and later in response to Palestinian terrorist attacks. Over the past two years, they have been deeply involved in terrorist initiatives meant to undermine the rule of law and compromise democracy. Cabinet ministers understand that those who have no qualms about killing a Palestinian toddler could just as easily have targeted the Temple Mount or murdered Jews. When the terrorists who attacked in Duma are apprehended, it is highly unlikely that anyone in the Shin Bet will be surprised to learn their identities. As the cliche goes, the writing was on the wall, and not just in Duma.
