Violence and tension are growing. At least 21 stabbings have occurred since 3 October. In East Jerusalem, two attackers wounded passengers on a bus before they were stopped by police. With teeangers and children now involved, the trail of blood is bound to get longer.

Jerusalem (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Violence and tensions continue to escalate in Israel, as the “third intifiada”, the “knife intifada”, gathers momentum. Like the uprisings of 1987 and 2000, public transit buses are the priviliged target.

A Palestinian stabbed and wounded a passerby north of Tel Aviv Tuesday before being detained by civilians in the area.

The victim was "moderately" wounded in the stabbing near a bus station in Raanana. The attacker was a 22-year-old Palestinian from east Jerusalem who taken to hospital with serious injuries after being beaten by locals.

This incident was the 21st stabbing in Israel, Jerusalem and the West Bank since 3 October. In total, three Israelis have been killed and 20 injured following a spate of revenge attacks, with knives becoming the symbol of the Palestinian uprising.

In another incident, two suspects entered  bus 78 in Jerusalem's Armon HaNatziv neighbourhood, one shooting, the other stabbing passengers. At least 16 Israelis were wounded, eight seriously. Police responded quickly killing the two attackers.

In another attack, in Jerusalem's Malchi Yisrael St, three Israeli were wounded. The incident follows reports of a stabbing attack on a bus in the city.

In Gaza, about 20 Palestinians broke through the border fence on Monday into Israel, retreating back inside only after an hour and a half of clashes with Israeli security forces. Two men were injured by army fire.

Increasingly, the stabbing incidents involve children and teenagers. Three of the five assailants in yesterday’s attacks in Jerusalem were under 18. The youngest, Ahmed Mansara of Shoafat, was only 13.

For experts, this shows that Israel’s presence is causing spontaneous and murderous violence rather than any group or organisation.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's accusations against Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Arab lawmakers of demonic incitement are completely baseless.

At the same time, Israel’s shoot-to-kill policy is bound to rouse tensions further. For experts, this means that the  “circle of violence will continue."

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