News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (September 5-11, 2012)

Rocket Fire Continues

• The rocket fire at Israel’s south continues. Four rocket hits were identified in Israeli territory this week. They were long-range rockets that landed near Netivot and Beersheba.

• On September 7 two rocket hits were identified near the town of Netivot. They fell in open areas and did not cause casualties or damage.
• On September 9 two Grad rocket hits were identified. One landed in the town of Netivot, causing heavy damage to two homes. There were no casualties; a number of residents were treated for PTSD. Another rocket landed in an open area near Beersheba (IDF Spokesman, September 9, 2012).

• Networks affiliated with the global jihad claimed responsibility for most of the rocket attacks. These networks continue challenging the de-facto Hamas administration, which apparently has difficulties imposing its “policy of restraint” on them, track down those responsible for the rocket fire, and restore relative peace and quiet to the Gaza Strip (Al-Quds, September 9, 2012).

IDF Response to the Rocket Fire

• The IDF made efforts to thwart the rocket fire and reacted to the rockets fired at Netivot and Beersheba. In this context:

• On September 5 an IDF fighter jet attacked a terrorist squad in the central Gaza Strip as it was about to fire rockets at Israel. The squad had already been involved in firing rockets at Israel (IDF Spokesman, September 5, 2012). The Palestinian media reported that three Palestinians were killed and one was severely injured in the attack. The reports also said that one of the people killed was a top commander of the PRC military wing and one of the commanders of its artillery unit (Safa, Maan, Jerusalem Brigades website, September 6, 2012).
• On September 6 IDF forces attacked a terrorist squad that was setting an IED near the security fence in the northern Gaza Strip (IDF Spokesman, September 6, 2012). According to Palestinian reports, three Palestinians were killed and one was critically injured (Safa, Maan, September 6, 2012).
• On the night of September 9-10 IDF aircraft attacked several terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip: a facility for manufacturing weapons, a site where terrorist activity was being conducted, a terrorist tunnel in the northern Gaza Strip, and a smuggling tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip (IDF Spokesman, September 10, 2012). Palestinian news agencies report that a base belonging to the Hamas military wing was hit in the attack and that a fire broke out on the scene (Maan, Wafa, September 10, 2012). Palestinian news agencies report that two children were lightly injured in the attack on the smuggling tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip (Maan, Safa, September 10, 2012).

• Ismail Haniyah, the head of the de-facto Hamas administration, condemned Israel’s reactions and stressed that the Hamas administration is responsible for “providing defense to the Gaza Strip residents” (Felesteen al-Yoom, September 6, 2012).

Rockets Fired into Israeli Territory^[1]

Terrorist attack between Oranit and Elkana

• Lior Farhi, the security officer of the town of Sha’arei Tikva, was run over and killed between the village of Oranit and Elkana while trying to document and prevent the illegal smuggling of Palestinians into Israel. In the afternoon of September 9, the security officer headed for the highway to document and even try to stop a vehicle that was illegally driving Palestinians to work in Israel. Even though he was standing in the middle of the road, the vehicle continued driving and intentionally hit and killed him. The driver, a resident of Kafr Qassem, fled the scene and was later arrested. The Israeli police and the IDF are investigating the incident.

Attack on an IDF force near Hebron

• On September 10 Molotov cocktails were thrown at an IDF force near Hebron’s Jewish town. The soldiers returned fire, severely injuring one of the Palestinians who had thrown the cocktails. He was rushed to a hospital in Jerusalem.

Charges against a Terrorist Squad Operating near Nablus

• Charges against a five-people Palestinian terrorist squad that attempted to hit an IDF force were pressed at the military court in Samaria. The squad members had set three IEDs near a military camp in the region of Nablus. The IEDs were cleverly designed and could be remotely activated using a cell phone. When the squad members noticed the arrival of IDF forces, they began activating the IEDs. The IEDs exploded several feet away from the IDF force, but there were no casualties (IDF Spokesman, September 10, 2012).

Demonstrations at Points of Friction

• This week as well there were riots at the traditional friction points in Judea and Samaria. Rioters threw stones at the IDF forces, who in certain instances used riot control equipment to disperse the demonstrators. In addition, in a number of instances stones and Molotov cocktails were thrown at Israeli civilian and security vehicles.

The Situation at the Crossings

• On Friday, September 7 the Interior Ministry of the de-facto Hamas administration announced that the Egyptian authorities uncharacteristically decided to keep the Rafah crossing open from both sides. This was the first time in over eighteen months that the crossing opened on Friday. The head of the Crossings Administration of the de-facto Hamas administration noted that it remains to be seen whether the crossing will remain open every Friday from now on, stressing that Egypt has yet to implement its promises to make passage through the crossing easier (Safa, September 8, 2012).

Tensions Continue between the Hamas Administration and Elements Affiliated with the Global Jihad

• As a result of the rocket fire, tensions continued between the de-facto Hamas administration and networks affiliated with the global jihad in the Gaza Strip. A top member of one such network said that Hamas security services are pursuing them “from house to house and from street to street”, and that they have detained dozens of operatives. He further added that the interrogations of the detainees focus primarily on obtaining information about the sources of their equipment and the identity of the network referring to itself as the “Shura Council of the Jihad Fighters in Greater Jerusalem”^[2] (Al-Sharq al-Awsat, September 6, 2012).

Iranian Assistance to the Hamas Administration in the Gaza Strip

• The Ministry of Youth and Sports of the de-facto Hamas administration released an official announcement saying that, following Youth and Sports Minister Mahmoud al-Madhoun’s visit to Iran and his meetings with top regime officials there, a cooperation agreement was signed with Iran. According to the agreement, Iran will sponsor the establishment of cultural institutions in the Gaza Strip, libraries, a cinema complex, and a museum for the commemoration of the “resistance in Palestine”. Iran will also help the de-facto Hamas administration produce and distribute films (Felesteen al-Aan, September 9, 2012).

A PIJ Display in Rafah

• On September 6 the PIJ held a display in Rafah to commemorate the organization’s operatives, primarily Ahmed al-Sheikh Khalil.^[3] The event was attended by top PIJ operatives, the victims’ families, and representatives from other Palestinian terrorist organizations. Representatives of the PIJ military wing held a military parade and marched while trampling the Israeli flag (Akhbar Felesteen, September 7, 2012).

Mahmoud al-Zahar Visited South Lebanon and Iran

• A Hamas delegation headed by Mahmoud al-Zahar, a top Hamas official in the Gaza Strip, visited Lebanon and Iran. During their stay in Lebanon the delegation members met with Hezbollah operatives in the country’s south and visited a memorial built by that organization after the second Lebanon war. At the end of the visit Al-Zahar stressed the “adherence to the option of resistance against the Zionist aggression in the region and in Palestine” (Al-Khabar Press, Lebanon, September 6, 2012).

• After the visit the delegation members traveled to Iran, where they met with Iran’s President Ahmadinejad. During the visit the president of Iran stressed that his country is standing by the Palestinians (Safa, September 9, 2012). Al-Zahar also met with Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, who said that the “voice of resistance” in the region should be heard louder. Al-Zahar said that he appreciates Iran for its support of the Islamic “resistance” in Palestine, and that “nobody can ignore Iran’s significance and important place in the Palestinian issue” (Al-Intiqad, Lebanon, September 6, 2012).

Economically-Motivated Wave of Protest in Judea and Samaria

• For the past ten days there have been violent public protests in Judea and Samaria, with hundreds of demonstrators taking to the streets to protest the cost of living. The demonstrators chanted for the downfall of Salam Fayyad’s government and an immediate decrease in prices. Protest demonstrations took place in most of Judea and Samaria cities and in the refugee camps. Demonstrators blocked main roads, burned tires, paralyzed the public transportation system, and boycotted studies in a number of universities and schools (Maan, September 9, 2012). On September 10 the demonstrators attacked the Hebron municipality building and a police building in Nablus, where several dozens of them were injured (Felesteen al-Aan, September 10, 2012).
• Top PA officials are trying to show understanding and sympathy with the public’s distress and working to channel the public pressure and anger against Israel, accusing it of responsibility for the economic situation in Judea and Samaria. The following are statements made by top PA officials on the issue:

• Abu Mazen wrote on his Facebook page that he understands the residents who have found themselves in economic difficulties. He accused mainly the “occupation”, saying that the government is hard at work to improve the situation (Abu Mazen’s Facebook page, September 4, 2012).
• Nabil Shaath, a member of the Fatah Central Committee, said that Salam Fayyad is making considerable efforts to resolve the current crisis. According to Shaath, if Salam Fayyad were to resign as the demonstrators demand, nothing would change because the reason for the poverty of the Palestinian people is “the occupation and not Fayyad”. He further noted that “we need to return to the struggle, to the international instances, and to peaceful resistance, and turn our struggle against the occupation rather than against Fayyad” (Maan, September 8, 2012).
• Nabil Abu Rodeina, a spokesman for the president’s office, reported that the Fatah Central Committee had convened in Ramallah on September 8 to discuss the economic situation. According to Abu Rodeina, the Central Committee decided that the economic crisis will only be solved by “ending the occupation and establishing a Palestinian state” (Maan, September 8, 2012).
• Tawfiq al-Tirawi, a member of the Fatah Central Committee, argued that the current crisis cannot be solved by Salam Fayyad’s direction. He said that the solution will be found by cooperating and consulting with economic experts and various institutions in Palestinian society. He called on the residents to direct their protest against “the occupation and its policy of oppression” and against internal Palestinian division (Maan, September 10, 2012).
• The political committee of the Palestinian National Council convened in Amman on September 10 to discuss the latest developments on the Palestinian scene. The concluding statement said that “the compass of Palestinian anger needs to be directed at the Israeli occupation” (Wafa, September 10, 2012).

• During the demonstrations some PA elements brought up a demand to abolish the Paris Agreement.^[4] In this context, Abu Mazen instructed Hussein al-Sheikh, the PA minister of civil affairs, to deliver an official message to Israel saying that the Palestinians demand that the agreement be re-opened (Maan, September 9, 2012). Taysir Khaled, a member of the PLO Executive Committee, said that the Paris Agreement is the main reason why the cost of living is so high. According to Khaled, the agreement means yielding to Israeli dictates and the ongoing exploitation of the Palestinian side (PNN, September 5, 2012).

The Palestinian U.N. Bid to Upgrade the Status of the PA

• On September 5-6 the Arab monitoring committee on the peace process convened in Cairo at the foreign minister level. It was also attended by Abu Mazen. The concluding statement of the conference said that a decision was made to support the Palestinian U.N. bid to upgrade it to non-member status (Wafa, September 6, 2012). Riyad al-Maliki, the Palestinian foreign minister, said that the conference had decided to begin contacts and consultations for the bid. According to Al-Maliki, the membership request will be submitted once consultations are over. Al-Maliki stressed that the U.N. bid is final, and that there is no turning back despite the pressure exerted by the United States (Maan, September 6, 2012).
• After the committee’s announcement was released, Abu Mazen said in a press conference held in Ramallah on October 8 that the PA leadership had decided to address the U.N. General Assembly on September 27, 2012. However, he clarified that the leadership had yet to set a date for the submission of the request to the U.N. (Voice of Palestine, September 8, 2012).

International Islamic Resistance Conference Held in Iran

• The third international conference of Islamic resistance was held in Esfahan, Iran on September 5-7. The conference was attended by representatives from 25 countries and organizations, including Hezbollah, Amal, Hamas, and PIJ, as well as top Iranian officials. The issues discussed included “the strategy of Islamic awakening”, “the way to destroy the Zionist entity after the collapse of the dictatorships in Egypt and Tunisia”, “the unity of the Palestinians and the right of return for the refugees”. The conference attendants stressed the importance of supporting the Islamic resistance against the “Zionist aggression”, as well as supporting the Palestinian struggle against Israel.
• Sheikh Mohammad Hassan Akhtari, the chairman of the conference, said that “Khomeini was the one who brought up the idea of resistance”, so that the resistance in Palestine and Lebanon is rooted in Khomeini’s Iran. According to Akhtari, the victories won by the resistance in recent years have put Israel in a difficult situation politically, militarily, and economically (Al-Intiqad, Lebanon, September 8, 2012).