The terrorist attack at Beersheba's central bus station on Sunday constitutes a "status change," less over its results and more over its location, the perpetrator, and the feelings it evoked among the public. Until Sunday, with the exception of a handful of incidents, nearly all terrorist attacks were in Jerusalem and across the Green Line, meaning somehow "removed." The public was empathetic, but its main coping mechanism was simply avoiding areas prone to violence. The security forces, for their part, knew that massive pressure on the Arab neighborhoods of east Jerusalem where the terrorists resided would thwart future attacks, or at the very least see the wave of terrorism crash on the security barriers, rather than on the public. Sunday's attack changed all that, not only because it took place "here," at the heart of a major Israeli city, but also because of the terrorist's identity -- a resident of the Bedouin town of Hura in the Negev. We must be careful not to generalize or place collective blame, but the effects of the Beersheba attack will resonate for a long time, and ethnic minorities will now be automatically suspected. The public's sense of personal safety has taken a massive blow and that, compounded by these newfound suspicions, will mandate security forces to step up their efforts even more. Cities across Israel will undoubtedly demand to increase police presence on their streets to protect their residents, and rightfully so. The IDF, which has so far resisted lending troops to the police's municipal efforts, may be required to revise its decision. The alternative is increasing the use of civilian security guards, but they may be untrained and ill-equipped and therefore prone to making fatal mistakes, as they did Sunday. The police must also exhaust the investigation into the fatal shooting of the Eritrean man, who was killed after he was mistaken for a terrorist. The police must determine whether the shooting was justified and how, and why, bystanders were allowed to assault him further after he was shot. The rage is understandable but such brutality is not, regardless of who it is directed against. Government officials would be wise to address this issue publicly, as it is a matter of values and morals, not just criminal actions. IDF Sgt. Omri Levi, 19, who was murdered Sunday is the ninth victim claimed by the current wave of terrorism. Prior to the attack Sunday seemed "quiet" security incidents-wise, but make no mistake -- success and failure are but a hair's breadth apart. The Palestinian terrorist groups are highly motivated, and any successful attack only encourages them further. It is hard to find an Israel official who is willing to venture how, or when, tensions will wane. This hesitation stems from the security pressure exerted by Israel, as well as the international and diplomatic aspects of the current situation: The cold shoulder the international community is giving Israel may be perceived on the Palestinian street as a subtle green light for continued aggression. This is a precarious situation that requires Israel's friends, first and foremost the United States, to stop sitting on the fence. The situation requires more than a visit by the U.S. chairman of the joint chiefs of staff -- it requires clear statements and actions to stop the cycle of violence.
