Generational Shift as Jewish Youth in Israel Express Distinct Anti-Arab Attitudes

Well, perhaps most of their parents held out some naively optimistic hope for peace. The younger set's clearly lost it.

At the New York Times, "Killing of Palestinian Youth Puts an Israeli Focus on Extremism":

Rabbi Yoel Bin Nun, a resident of the Israeli settlement of Alon Shvut, spoke about the dangers of fear and “existential anxiety,” because “hate comes from fear.” Addressing Jews who call for revenge, he said, “Your hate is fear, it is weakness, it is an achievement for the enemy.”

Tamir Lion, an anthropologist who studies youth, said he was troubled by the changing attitudes among Israel’s young people. For many years, Mr. Lion interviewed soldiers about why they chose to enter combat units. “The answers,” he said on Israel Radio, “were always about the challenge, to show I could make it, the prestige involved.”

That began to change in 2000, he said. “I started to get answers — not a lot, but some — like: ‘To kill Arabs.’ The first time I heard it, it was at the time of the large terror attacks, and since then it has not stopped.”

A generation has grown up in a period of Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with suicide bombs and military incursions, rocket fire and airstrikes. Young people on both sides may think about the other more as an enemy than as a neighbor.

Whatever the cause, the murders have been condemned by Israelis across the board. In contrast, when Israelis are murdered by Palestinians, it's three-fingered salutes and cake-baking celebrations all around.

More at that top link.