The latest escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has seen a large number of knife attacks against Israeli troops by lone assailants in what has been called a "knife intifada" by Palestinians. The escalation started in late 2015 and has somewhat fallen in intensity over the past months.
Relations between Israel and Palestine have been shattered for decades. Palestinians seek diplomatic recognition for their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government refuses to recognize Palestine as an independent political and diplomatic entity, and builds settlements on the occupied areas, despite objections from the United Nations.
