A car destroyed in Aqaba (Egyptian TV, August 2, 2010).
The pit created by the rocket which fell in Ashqelon (Photo by Adi Israel, courtesy of NGR, July 30, 2010).
Car damage caused by the Grad rocket which hit Ashqelon
Photos courtesy of Zeev Trachtman, July 31, 2010
Rocket and mortar shell fire into Israeli territory
Rocket Fire 2010, Monthly Distribution
The Mavi Marmara flotilla threatens to swamp the Netanyahu government
Military training of Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives
Meeting of the Arab League's monitoring committee
Difference of opinion about the Israel-Palestinian negotiations
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Rocket Fire from the Gaza Strip and Sinai Peninsula
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Eilat and Aqaba |
in Ashqelon |
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Overview
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Important Events
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Sinai and the Gaza Strip
Rockets Fired at Eilat
On August 2 at 7:45 a.m. six rockets were fired at Israel, possibly 122mm Grads. Three fell in Eilat, Israel’s southernmost city, one of them in a drainage pool in the northern part of the city. There were no casualties (IDF Spokesman, August 2, 2010). Two rockets fell in the Jordanian city of Aqaba in front of the Intercontinental Hotel. A Jordanian civilian was killed and five were wounded, one of them critically. Another rocket fell into the sea. As of this writing it is not clear who was responsible for the rocket fire.
Ali al-Ayad, Jordanian minister of information and communications, denounced the rocket fire, saying that the rockets were fired from beyond Jordanian territory and that the Jordanian security forces were investigating the incident (Jordanian News Agency, August 2, 2010).
The Egyptian authorities were quick to deny that the rockets had been fired from the Sinai Peninsula (Al-Nahar website, August 2, 2010), but declared a state of emergency there. All the entrances and exits were closed, including the Rafah crossing, and the roadblocks were reinforced. Egyptian security forces searched the areas of Taba and Ras al-Naqab to verify whether or not the rockets were fired from Egyptian territory (Al-Haqiqa al-Dauliya, August 2, 2010).
It was the second time this year that rockets were fired at Eilat. On April 22 a number of explosions were heard in the city and a rocket fell in the region of Aqaba, fired from the Sinai Peninsula. Israeli frogmen brought a 122mm rocket up out of the sea.
Rocket Fire from the Gaza Strip
This past week rocket fire continued from the Gaza Strip into the western Negev. Two rocket hits were identified:
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On July 30 a standard 122mm Grad rocket fell in the southern city of Ashqelon, sending one Israeli woman into shock. In response Israel lodged a complaint with the president of the UN Security Council and the commissioner of the Human Rights Council in Geneva (Israeli Foreign Ministry Spokesman, July 30 2010). It was the first standard rocket fired into Israeli territory in the past year and a half. The Popular Resistance Committees claimed responsibility for the attack (Chinese News Agency, July 30 2010). It is unclear whether the organization actually fired the rocket.
Car damage caused by the Grad rocket which hit Ashqelon
�(Photo by Adi Israel, courtesy of NGR, July 30, 2010).
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On July 31 a rocket fell near an educational building in the western Negev. There were no casualties but the building was severely damaged. A network calling itself the Uniqueness of Allah and Jihad Battalions claimed responsibility for the attack (Ma�an News Agency, July 31, 2010).
Left: Building damage caused by the rocket. Right: Part of the rocket
(Photos courtesy of Zeev Trachtman, July 31, 2010).
Rockets and Mortar Shells Fired into Israeli Territory 1
Rocket Fire 2010, Monthly Distribution *
* Since the beginning of 2010, 60 rocket hits have been identified in Israeli territory. |
Israeli Air Force Response
In response to the rocket attacks Israeli Air Force aircraft struck a number of terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip:
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July 31 � Three terrorist targets were struck, among them a workshop for weapons manufacture in the central Gaza Strip and a tunnel for smuggling weapons in the southern Gaza Strip (IDF Spokesman, July 31, 2010). Issa Bitran, aka Abu Bilal, a senior operative in Hamas military wing, was killed in the attack. The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades said in an official statement that there would be a response to his death (Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades website, July 31, 2010). Eight other terrorist operatives and two civilians were wounded (Hamas� Paltoday website, Sawt al-Aqsa website, July 31, 2010).
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August 1 � Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked a tunnel used to smuggle weapons and an attack tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip (IDF Spokesman, August 1, 2010). The Palestinian media reported that a Palestinian was badly wounded (Wafa News Agency, Ma�an News Agency, August 1, 2010).
Hamas spokesmen in the Gaza Strip denounced the Israeli Air Force activity and linked it to the decision of the Arab League’s monitoring committee to allow Mahmoud Abbas to hold direct negotiations with Israel:
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Taher al-Nunu, spokesman for the de facto Hamas administration in the Gaza Strip, said he doubted that a Grad rocket had hit Ashqelon, claiming that the Israeli Air Force attack came
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Ismail Radwan, Hamas spokesman, said that the attack was a "slap in the face" for the pan-Arab position and called for abandoning the Arab peace initiative (Sawt al-Aqsa, July 31, 2010).
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Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman, said that the attack was in response to the Arab League’s decision and an attempt to violate the calm and "spread confusion" (Hamas� Palestine-info website, July 31, 2010).
Two Terrorist Operatives Wounded in Gaza Strip
The Palestinian media reported that before dawn on July 28 two Palestinians in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp were seriously wounded. According to reports they were injured during a "jihad mission" (Safa News Agency, Ma�an News Agency, Pal Press, July 28, 2010). It was apparently the result of a "work accident."
Judea and Samaria
Counterterrorism Activities
The Israeli security forces continued their counterterrorism activities, detaining Palestinians suspected of involvement in terrorist activities and seizing weapons. Riots continued at various sites in Judea and Samaria.
On August 2 an Israeli cab driver was stabbed by two Palestinians who hailed his taxi near Hawara (south of Nablus). The victim was taken to the hospital (IDF Spokesman, August 2, 2010). On August 2 an Israeli security guard was wounded in the arm while stationed at an observation post at the Qalandia roadblock (near Nablus). Palestinian sources reported that he was wounded by gunfire from a car which fled the scene (Wafa News Agency, August 2, 2010).
Incidents of stone-throwing at Israeli vehicles continued. One Israeli woman was injured. The most serious incidents were the following:
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July 30 � Stones were thrown at an Israeli vehicle southwest of Bethlehem. There were no casualties but the vehicle was damaged (IDF Spokesman, July 30, 2010).
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July 29 � Stones were thrown at an Israeli vehicle east of Qalqilya. An Israeli woman suffered slight injuries (IDF Spokesman, July 29, 2010).
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Flotillas and Convoys to the Gaza Strip
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More Flotillas and Convoys Planned � Update
Lebanon
The organizers of the ships in Lebanon continue claiming that they will not be frightened off by "Israeli threats" and that the flotilla is expected to set sail in the near future:
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Thaer Ghandour, a member of the supervisory committee of the MV Nagi al-Ali and a contributor to the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, said that "the organizers overcame a number of difficulties" but "a final sailing date has not yet been set." He said that "Israeli threats against the ships have been increasing over the past ten days" (Al-Aqsa TV, July 27, 2010).
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Rima Farah, spokeswoman for the MV Maryam, said that the ship was almost ready to set sail and was waiting for permission from the Lebanese authorities. She said that the necessary documents were to have been presented on July 28, and claimed that "[the Lebanese authorities] are afraid of the Israeli threats." She added that that "this is not a tourist trip but a voyage of challenge which plans to break the siege of the Gaza Strip." She added that they would "oppose any attempt to take the ship to the ports of Ashdod or El Arish" (Al-Aqsa TV, July 27, 2010).
Other Initiatives
Reports continue to be received of intentions to dispatch other aid flotillas and convoys to the Gaza Strip:
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The United States � According to reports, one of the participants in organizing the ship, the so-called "Audacity of Hope," which is expected to join the Freedom Fleet 2 flotilla, is Professor Rashid al-Khalidi, former PLO spokesman and currently a professor at Colombia University, described by the media as "a personal friend of American President Barack Obama" (Globes, July 25, 2010).
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George Galloway, pro-Hamas former member of the British Parliament, stated that on September 18, "the anniversary of [the events in the Lebanese refugee camps] Sabra and Shatilla," overland convoys would arrive to "break the siege" from Europe, Doha (Qatar) and Morocco, and that a ship would set sail from the Syrian port of Latakia (Al-Liwa, July 27, 2010).
Dr. Issam Yussef, the general coordinator of the Miles of Smiles 2 convoy, said that it would reach Alexandria on August 2, El-Arish on August 5 and enter the Gaza Strip overland on August 7. He said the matter had been coordinated with the Egyptian authorities, and that the convoy would be led by 50 ambulances and bring medicine and medical equipment (Al-Resalah.net, July 26, 2010).
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Jordan � Fathi Abu Nassar, spokesman for the Jordanian Lifeline convoy, claimed that in the name of the participants of the Jordan Freedom Flotilla and with the support of the Jordanian government, he proposed bringing Israel to trial in the International Criminal Court as part of an international move by flotilla participants (Jordanian newspaper Al-Dustour, July 31, 2010).
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Iran � Mahmoud Ahmedi Bighash, member of the Iranian Parliament, claimed that Egypt had agreed to issue entrance vises for him and three other parliament members planning to visit the Gaza Strip. According to other information, Egypt refused to issue such visas (Safa News Agency, July 28, 2010).
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Libya � According to an assistant to the secretary general of the union of public charitable societies in Libya, two more aid ships are expected to arrive from Libya. They are the MV Al-Quds 4, which is already on its way and expected to cross the Libyan-Egyptian border on August 8, and the MV Al-Quds 5, which will set sail during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan (which begins on August 11 this year) (Al-Muslim, August 2, 2010).
The Mavi Marmara flotilla threatens to swamp the Netanyahu government
(Al-Quds, July 25, 2010).
Al-Qaeda’s Position on the Flotillas
In a new audio tape, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden’s deputy, belittled the importance of the aid ships to the Gaza Strip, claiming that they would not change the situation because they were "like sheep in a sea of wolves." He said change would be brought about only by an Egyptian decision to lift the "siege" of the Gaza Strip and allow free access to it, and if the Turks demanded that their government stopped cooperating with Israel and sending troops to Afghanistan. He also appealed to the Turkish people to renew the role of the Ottoman Empire as the defender of the Muslim countries and Palestine (Al-Fallujah forum, July 28 2010).
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Developments in the Gaza Strip
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The Crossings
Between July 18 and 24, 995 trucks entered the Gaza Strip. Six hundred and fifty-three of them carried various foodstuffs, 73 of which were loaded with food brought by the Libyan flotilla. Among the goods were cattle and sheep, electrical appliances, cooking gas and diesel fuel (Israeli coordinator for the territories, July 18-24, 27, 29, 2010).
Israel continues enlarging the crossings into the Gaza Strip to enable the transfer of merchandise. The hours of crossing activity have been extended and the teams operating the crossings have been reinforced. An Israeli-Palestinian team has been set up to examine ways of increasing activity through the Kerem Shalom crossing. The team has met a number of times and formulated principles for a joint working plan (IDF Spokesman, August 3, 2010).
Egyptian Newspaper Reports Abundance of Merchandise in the Gaza Strip
A correspondent for the Egyptian Al-Ahram recently reported on an abundance of merchandise in the Gaza Strip. He said the "siege" had been broken "even before the Freedom Flotilla," thanks to the entrance of goods from Egypt. He noted that the market in Rafah was "loaded with large quantities of merchandise of all kinds, at prices�cheaper than those in Egypt," and that "the rest homes and markets have become a symbol of the comfort in the Gaza Strip and prove that the siege is political and not economic."
He also said that "anyone walking through the streets comes across hundreds, if not thousands of cars which entered the Gaza Strip through the tunnels from Egypt, some of them stolen."
" There are signs of luxury, enjoyed mostly by those close to Hamas, people who have become rich through the siege [tunnel� owners] or employees of the international organizations in the Gaza Strip, especially UNRWA. He also reported that the new vacation houses are mostly owned by Gazans close to Hamas and also serve to launder money (MEMRI website, August 1, 2010).
The Islamization of the Gaza Strip Continues
Hamas’ gradual Islamization of the Gaza Strip continues. Passing legislation, instituting regulations and determining codes of behavior in the spirit of Islam are important methods for motivating the process. The Hamas police have announced the imposition of new restrictions on stores selling women’s clothing, prohibiting them from putting mannequins in the windows or hanging advertisements for revealing clothing. In addition, the ministry of endowments of the de facto Hamas administration announced it intended to conduct a series of informative activities before the Ramadan fast, including a prize-bearing religious competition to be held through the ministry’s website, religious meetings and lectures in the mosques (Safa News Agency and Filastin al-�Aan, July 28, 2010).
Article in Hamas Newspaper Calls on Muslim Brotherhood to Change Egyptian Regime
Mustafa al-Sawaf, formerly the editor-in-chief of the Hamas daily Felesteen, wrote an article for the paper calling on the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt to cooperate with the opposition to change the existing regime, both now in the era of Mubarak and afterwards. He said the Muslim Brotherhood needed "a transition period" to join the changes led by the opposition, which would be time of preparation and maturing for "the Islamic project in the region." Only after such an interim period should the Muslim Brotherhood actively take over the government (Hamas� daily Felesteen, July 28, 2010).
Hamas Security Services Call for a Draft
As Hamas strengthens and entrenches its control over the Gaza Strip and continues its military buildup, the de facto administration is drafting Gazans into its security services. Fathi Hamad, interior minister, said that his ministry would "institute recruitment [to the security services], first voluntary and then as a draft" (Website of the interior ministry of the de facto Hamas administration, July 27, 2010). Ihab al-Ghussein, ministry spokesman, said that the ministry had appointed a government committee which would prepare a survey about the draft. Note: Until recently Hamas’ security services had been based primarily on Hamas’ volunteer operatives. One meaning of the draft is that it opens the services to operatives from other organizations.
Military training of Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives
(Safa News Agency, July 15, 2010).
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The Peace Process
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The Arab League’s Monitoring Committee Allows the Palestinian Authority to Hold Direct Negotiations with Israel, Subject to Mahmoud Abbas’ Decision
At its last conference in Cairo on July 29, the Arab League’s monitoring committee decided to allow the Palestinian Authority to begin direct negotiations with Israel, giving Mahmoud Abbas the right to decide the date and circumstances appropriate for launching the talks. It also sent a note to the United States demanding additional clarifications and guarantees regarding construction in the settlements and defining the source of authority for the negotiations (Al-Jazeera TV, July 30; Haaretz, July 29, 2010).
Meeting of the Arab League’s monitoring committee
(Al-Hayat Al-Jadeeda, July 30, 2010).
Senior Palestinians said that although they welcomed the Arab League’s decision, the Palestinians’ fundamental conditions for negotiations had to be met:
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Mahmoud Abbas, chairman of the Palestinian Authority, claimed that only when he had directly received the necessary guarantees regarding the 1967 borders and the freezing of construction in the settlements from the Israeli government or through President Barack Obama, Jordan’s King Abdallah or the American administration would he agree to conduct direct negotiations (Fananews, July 29, 2010).
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Yasser Abu Rabbo, secretary of the PLO’s executive committee, said that they welcomed the Arab League’s decision. He said the Arab and Palestinian positions overlapped in that the negotiations had to be begin from a clear starting point, most important of which was the agreement that the 1967 borders would be the borders of Palestinian and Israel and that there would be a complete cessation of construction in the settlements, especially in Jerusalem (Al-Jazeera TV, August 2, 2010)
Difference of opinion about the Israel-Palestinian negotiations
(Hamas� daily Felesteen, July 29, 2010).
1 The statistics do not include the mortar shells fired at IDF soldiers patrolling the border fence which fell inside the Gaza Strip.
