Amso Yadlin, head of the Israeli Military Intelligence Directorate (Aman) said during an assembly of the INSS (Institute for National Security Studies) this morning that "during the winter of 2009 not one soldier or civilian was killed in a terrorist attack - a phenomenon that hasn't occurred for the past few decades".

According to Yadlin, the cause of the quiet is a combination of several factors, the main one being Israeli deterrence which received a serious boost during the Second Lebanon War and Operation Cast Lead. "The deterrence is strong, however it is impossible to foresee its power in the future", he said.

"The enemy today is weighing its gains against its losses, and therefore refrains from taking any hasty steps. However, let's not delude ourselves in thinking that it is only the deterrence factor that is holding them back; the enemies utilizes the peace to re-arm themselves. Iran, Syria and Hezbollah all have the ability to strike Gush Dan. Our enemies do not rest for one second", explained the head of Aman.

On the political front, Yadlin said that we are now facing two separate Palestinian entities and that "the Palestinians are moving along a new route that says: 'if we can't reach an agreement with Israel, we will force our ides upon it before negotiations begin'".

According to the head of Aman, it can be likened to the way Syria demands Israel's agreement on a final solution before negotiations are conducted, as opposed to in the end of a peace process. "There are several factors that reinforce the Palestinians' belief that it can reach a solution without conducting negotiations with Israel, such as the Goldstone Report", he said.