Two suicide bombings at restaurants, one of which claimed 15 lives and injured almost 100, have pushed tensions higher and increased the likelihood that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will only escalate. Further, they have confirmed fears that security cannot be guaranteed even in areas of routine daily life. The situation is volatile and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.
The violence has further eroded the confidence of international airlines in security for their employees. British Airways and Lufthansa recently joined KLM and Swissair in deciding to stop lodging crews overnight in Israel, although Lufthansa’s policy was planned to be in place for just a week.