In the current wave of terrorism, we hear a lot of the term 'lone wolf'.
Security experts and commentators repeatedly recite the slogan: "There is no solution to a single threat.".
Apparently they are right.
Security forces can locate organizations, track down gangs, but it is impossible to know what will go through the mind of an individual.
No, they are not right.
There is a fundamental misconception here. This rule is true when dealing with ordinary crime. There it is the action of individuals, and it is difficult to prevent it. In contrast, Arab terrorism may actually be carried out by individuals, but it is driven by the collective.
As long as we leave the engine running, there will always be volunteers who will rise to serve it.
The egg, not the mosquito
We insist on closing our eyes to the engine and searching for the one terrorist, and of course it is a futile task. We chase the one mosquito, but allow the egg to grow more and more mosquitoes.
You don't have to be an intelligence officer to understand this absurdity.
We all see the incitement, the official publications, the glorification of terrorists, the naming of squares after them, the generous funds awarded to them, and the broad popular support for the murderers.
The same tailwind for terrorism is blowing from the direction of elected officials among Israeli Arabs. They openly act against the state that pays their fat salaries and gives them a platform in its House of Representatives.
Their wild incitement and constant identification with terrorist organizations inflame passions, foster hatred towards the Jewish people, and send a clear message to young people. They do not need to explicitly call for the commission of terrorist attacks (and sometimes they do not even refrain from doing so). The general spirit is quite clear.
The only way to stop the wheels of this engine is to make the collective understand that terrorism is harming it. As long as they don't pay a price for inciting and supporting terrorism, why would they stop it? But once they pay a price – and it has to be heavy and painful – they will convey the message to their people very quickly.
The state must confront the Arabs of Israel with a choice: What do they prefer, to cultivate hatred and hostility towards the state (where they live incomparably better than their brothers throughout the Middle East) and the Jewish people, or to be part of it?
The existing reality, in which they constantly demand and receive more and more, while at the same time increasing the intensity of hatred – cannot continue.
Clear rules of the game
It's true that not everyone supports terrorism, and there are many Israeli Arabs who want to live peaceful lives as citizens of the country.
And that's exactly the point: We need to make them speak up, confront the instigators, explain to their people that this path is bringing disaster upon them. We need to help them, while at the same time hitting the perpetrators of terror with all our might.
In recent days, a change in trend has been apparent, caused by charging a price from the collective – an economic price.
Jews are staying away from Arab areas and Arab-owned businesses, and are afraid to employ Arabs in renovations.
Suddenly other voices are heard. Suddenly the Arab public understands that the stabbings hurt them too.
These rules of the game must be clear and consistent, and the results will come very quickly, God willing.
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