Israel has announced several new security measures to stem the violence that has occurred in Jerusalem over the last few weeks. According to the Jerusalem Post, these measures include:
* In addition to the demolition of terrorists’ homes, no new construction will be permitted at the site where a terrorist’s home was demolished.
* The property of terrorists who perpetrate attacks will be confiscated.
* The permanent residency rights of terrorists will be revoked.
* The operational force of the Israel Police will be enlarged and expanded.
* Three hundred additional security guards will be recruited for public transportation in Jerusalem at a cost of NIS 80 million.
* IDF [Israeli Defense Force–the formal military] units will reinforce the Israeli Police in Israeli cities and along main roads.
* The IDF will be instructed to deploy units in sensitive areas along the security fence. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also directed that staff work be done to complete the security fence, including in the southern Hebron Hills area.
The violence appears to be quite extensive. According to NBC News:
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, 30 Palestinians have been killed in clashes and other violence since Oct. 1. In addition, more than 4,200 have been injured in West Bank and Gaza, the Red Crescent says. Over that same period, the Red Cross says seven Israelis have been killed and 99 others wounded.
Unfortunately, there is no way to independently verify that these figures are accurate. US Secretary of State Kerry is on his way to Israel, but it is not at all clear what proposals or advice he could be bringing to help stoop the violence. Nor is it clear that his presence will have any effect at all.
Russian President Putin has stated that the US has not been at all helpful in identifying targets in Syria that are controlled by the Islamic State. His comments suggest that US complaints about Russian targeting of rebels opposed to Syrian President Assad are purely political. Indeed, his characterization of the US position was blunt:
“I think some of our partners simply have mush for brains. They do not have a clear understanding of what is really happening in the country and what goals they are seeking to achieve.”
Putin’s comments were also made in the context of what appears to be a major offensive by the Syrian government, Russian airpower, and Iranian ground forces against the rebels near the town of Aleppo.
The World Bank has issued a new report on global youth unemployment and its conclusions are sobering. The world simply is not creating enough jobs to handle the expected growth of young people seeking them. Its assessment is as follows:
“Over the next decade, a billion more young people will enter the job market—and only 40 percent are expected to be ableto enter jobs that currently exist. The global economy will need to create 600 million jobs over the next 10 years: that’s 5 million jobs each month simply to keep employment rates constant.” (pp. 10-11)
Given the current economic growth rates in the world those objectives are not attainable. The political consequences of this failure are likely to be greater instability and violence.
World Politics News 
Leave a comment