Let me be very clear, violence is never justified.So they had it coming?
But when you persistently provoke others with prolonged subjugation, torture, killing, indefinite imprisoning without charge, sexual abuse, disposession, discrimination, destruction of property, then some sort of reaction is to be expected.
Palestinians do not deserve the inhumane treatment by Israel and Israelis.
Whether they deserve it or not, it is forced on them by Israel.
"People in the West Bank know that Netanyahu is throwing down bait, through persistent attacks every night against the people of Palestine regardless of their political affiliation - because he wants to provoke the Palestinians into a confrontational mood that he will use as an excuse to escalate the situation."
"It's very clear that Fatah don't want any intifada," explained Raed Debiy, the party youth leader. "They are still very keen to keep the status quo. But the grassroots of Fatah will not be controlled forever. How can you stay silent under daily assassination, daily invasion, daily violation of settlers - this will definitely lead to explosion."
In 2000, the spark for the second intifada was a visit by then-Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon to a contested holy site in Jerusalem, known to Muslims as the al-Aqsa compound and to Jews at the Temple Mount.
Sharon's visit happened amid smouldering Palestinian frustration at the failure of the Oslo peace process - and, Dr Shikaki says, was "exploited" by Fatah's young guard to launch the uprising.
A small event like this could still trigger something significant, but the situation has shifted since 2000.
Now, far-right ministers in the Israeli government visit the compound, and make inflammatory claims about Israeli control of the site, without triggering a major response - at least not in the West Bank.
"We told the American administration many times that the pressure would definitely lead to some sort of reaction," said the senior Fatah leader, Sabri Saidam. "But no-one anticipated that the reaction would come from Gaza."
Lucy Williamson: Hamas support soars in West Bank - but full uprising can still be avoided
Calls by Hamas for an uprising in the West Bank have come and gone, despite rising support for the group.
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