Ayoush (Transliteration of 'Judea-Samaria' in Hebrew - ed.) Square outside of Beit El has become the center of hostilities once again during this terror wave - as it did during the Second Intifada.
A top IDF official reflected on the square's significance Sunday.
"Even during Operation Protective Edge, there was nothing here that showed that Ayoush Square is a symbol for Palestinians," Col. Yisrael Shumar, commander of the Binyamin Brigade, reflected in an interview with Army Radio on Sunday afternoon. "This is the entrance to Ramallah, the main government for the Palestinian Authority."
"They [the PA - ed.] had an interest in keeping the place clean and quiet," he said. "But right now they do it less."
The lack of PA supervision has ignited the region, he added, noting that the PA's incitement had provided fuel for a generation of young terrorists.
"We see this as a kind of fact here: that no one tries to stop them," he said. "I think what has changed is that there are quite a few young people, there's quite a few women coming and the third thing is that they have courage."
"We are seeing more attacks and it certainly bothers me," he added, quickly noting that the IDF and police are arresting terrorists by the dozens every night.