Israel’s government is being tested by a spate of terror attacks

ISRAEL PRIDES itself on having some of the world’s finest counter-terrorism units. But when a lone Palestinian gunman roamed the streets of Tel Aviv on April 7th, it seemed to have too many of them. After a shoot-up outside a popular night spot, which left three Israelis dead or dying, hundreds of special forces, airborne commandos and police rushed to the scene, then milled around chaotically without co-ordination. Some ran with guns cocked into restaurants and residential buildings, hoping to flush out the killer, who had fled to Jaffa, a few miles south. He was tracked down and shot dead eight hours later.The attack was the fourth in an Israeli city in 16 days. Fourteen victims and five perpetrators have been killed, ending ten months of relative calm in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. The attacks were not jointly planned nor attributed to a single group. The attackers came from different communities and backgrounds. Three were Arab citizens of Israel (one was a Bedou from the Negev desert) who had tried to join Islamic State; two were Palestinians from the West Bank.