Last Thursday, six people were stabbed at a Gay Pride march in Jerusalem. One victim has died. The suspect is an orthodox Jew, who had just completed a 10-year sentence for a similar crime. Friday morning, in the remote West Bank town of Duma, the home of a Palestinian family was set on fire, killing an 18-month old boy and leaving his parents in critical condition. Jewish extremists are suspected.
The Netanyahu government now says Jewish suspects will get the same, tough treatment given Palestinians. But that will be easier said than done, and some Israelis are warning that right-wing extremism is almost out of control. They claim government support of settlements in the West Bank has backfired, corrupting the justice system and posing a risk to democracy.