Context
Thousands of Palestinian were fired upon as they congregated around border fence to protest against the Israeli occupation of their land. Israeli troops shot dead at least two demonstrators and injured 15 others after dozens managed to make their way through the fences that mark the ceasefire line between Israel and Syria. Ten people were killed on the Lebanese-Israel border and one in Gaza. Inspired by the ongoing popular Arab uprisings, the mass demonstrations represented a serious civilian threat to Israel from the neighboring territories.
These incidents have raised alarm that a wider Arab-Israeli conflict could result, particularly when many believe that Syria is trying to divert attention from the unrest in Syria by provoking a wider conflict with Israel. There are also growing fears in the West that extremists may try to exploit the uncertainty of the Arab street.
