ByUDI SHAHAM
As illegal infiltration from the West Bank to Israel increases, and in light of confrontation between Jewish extremists and security forces, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi, Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai, and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) head Nadav Argaman met on Thursday to discuss “nationalistic-motivated crime” and further tightening of their cooperation.  

The three discussed the importance of the cooperation between the three organizations, in order to combat the phenomenon of nationalistic crimes.

The death of Ahuvia Sandak last December sparked violence between settlers and the Israeli security forces, and between Jews and Palestinians in the West Bank.

In recent months, the West Bank also witnessed a wave of Palestinian terror attacks, in which most were initiatives of individuals.

In Late December, Mohammad Maroh Kabaha from the area of Jenin killed Esther Horgen, a Jewish citizen from the settlement of Tel Menashe.

The three chiefs also discussed the phenomenon of illegal infiltration of Palestinians from the West Bank into Israel.

Palestinians mostly infiltrate for employment purposes, and mostly through breaches of the security barrier in the areas of Hebron and Jenin.

An IDF statement added that “the three agreed to keep maintaining the security stability and to reduce the number of nationalistic crime incidents — and to determinately act against those who are involved in them.”