News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (November 4 – 10, 2015)

Overview

• This past week the wave of terrorist attacks carried out by lone Palestinians, especially stabbing attacks, continued. Most of them were carried out in Judea and Samaria, many in the region around Hebron. A 19 year-old Border Policeman mortally wounded in a vehicular attack died a few days later. A number of Israeli soldiers and civilians were wounded. Most of the terrorists, two of whom were women, were killed or wounded carrying out the attacks:

Terrorist Attacks This Past Week

(Updated to the morning of November 10, 2015)

• On November 9, 2015, a Palestinian woman walked to the Eliahu crossing near the Jewish community of Alfei Menashe (east of Qalqiliya). Despite the shouts of the security guards to halt, she continued walking towards them, even after the guards fired warning shots into the air. When she took a knife out of her bag the guards shot and killed her. She was Risha Muhammad Ahmed Awissi, 23, from Qalqiliya (Facebook page of QudsN, November 9, 2015). A suicide note was found in her bag in which she wrote she was "defending the homeland."

 Left: The suicide note left the Risha Awissi. Right: The knife she planned to use to carry out a stabbing attack (Facebook page of Qalqiliya al-Hadath, November 9, 2015). The note reads, "I don’t know what will happen at the end [of the road]. I am doing this with a clear mind, in defense of the homeland, the boys and girls. I cannot bear what I see and I cannot suffer any longer. My parents, father, mother, sisters, forgive me for what I am doing. I love you. Especially my fiancé. I am sorry for what will happen to me on this path and that this is the way I am ending [my life] (Israeli ministry of defense, information and spokesperson's office, November 9, 2015).

• On November 8, 2015, two Palestinians stabbed an Israeli civilian, 49, in the village of Nebi Elias, near Alfei Menashe. He had stopped to go shopping. He managed to drive to the Eliahu crossing, where he collapsed and was evacuated to a hospital. The attackers turned themselves in to the PA's security forces.
• On November 8, 2015, a female Palestinian terrorist stabbed a civilian guard securing the main gate of Beitar Ilit (west of Bethlehem). She went to the gate and stopped for inspection, then took a knife out of her bag and stabbed the guard, inflicting minor wounds. Other guards at the gate shot her. The terrorist was Hilwa Salim Muhammad Alian, 22, from the village of Husan (northeast of Beitar Ilit), married and mother of an infant.

• On the morning of November 8, 2015, a Palestinian terrorist carried out a vehicular attack at the Tapuah Junction in Samaria. He drove into a group of Israelis standing at the bus stop. Two Border Policemen stationed at the junction shot at the driver. He drove into a concrete barrier and was killed. He injured four Israelis. Two were critically wounded and a pregnant woman suffered minor injuries. The terrorist was Suleiman 'Adel Muhammad Shahin, 22, from El-Bireh. Fatah issued a formal death notice for Suleiman 'Adel Shahin, who on November 8, 2015, carried out the "heroic attack" at the Zaatra roadblock (i.e., Tapuah Junction), south of Nablus (Facebook page of Bethlehem al-Hadath, November 8, 2015).
• On the afternoon of November 6, 2015, Palestinians opened fired at an IDF soldier standing at the Beit Einun Junction (north of Hebron). The soldier was critically wounded and evacuated to a hospital. The shooter escaped. He was later apprehended by the Israeli security forces. He was 16, from Bani Naim. He gave up the rifle he used in the shooting attack.

• On November 6, 2015, two young Israelis were shot in the Jewish community in Hebron, near the Cave of the Patriarchs. One of the Israelis, 16 years old, was seriously wounded; the other 18, suffered minor wounds.
• On November 6, 2015, a Palestinian stabbed an Israeli in the chest at the Shaar Benyamin shopping center (east of Ramallah). The attacker then fled. The Israeli was seriously wounded. The terrorist was Baraa' Kayed Faiq Issa, from Ramallah (or possibly from the Shuafat refugee camp). Before the attack he posted a video on his Facebook page stating his intention to carry out an attack "to defend Al-Aqsa mosque." He photographed himself sitting in front of Fatah and Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade's flags. The day after the attack he turned himself in to the PA security forces (Ghaza al-A'an, November 6, 2015).

• On November 6, 2015, a female Palestinian tried to run over Israeli soldiers under the Halhul bridge (north of Hebron). She was shot and killed by IDF soldiers. There were no casualties. A knife was found in the car. The terrorist was Tharwat Ibrahim al-Sharawi (Um Ayoub), 72. She was the widow of Fouad al-Sharawi, a Palestinian terrorist killed in the first intifada. Ismail Haniya, deputy head of Hamas' political bureau, spoke to the family and expressed his condolences (PALDF forum, November 7, 2015). The Palestinians claimed she had not tried to carry out a vehicular attack, and claimed a vehicular attack could not be proved by camera footage (Facebook page of the Islamic Movement in Israel – Nablus, November 6, 2015; Facebook page of the Islamic Bloc at Hebron University).

• On November 5, 2015, a Palestinian went to the Gush Etzion Junction and tried to stab a soldier at the bus stop. An IDF force shot and killed him. He was Malik Talal al-Sharif, from Hebron. According to reports in the Palestinian media, he may have been affiliated with Hamas (PalInfo, November 6, 2015).

• On November 4, 2015, a Palestinian terrorist ran over two Israelis near Halhul, mortally wounding Staff Sergeant Benyamin Yakobovitch, a 19 year-old Border Policeman. He died a few days later. The terrorist was killed. He was Ibrahim Samir Ibrahim Sikafi, 22, from Hebron. His body was returned to the Palestinians the same evening. The PA held a formal military funeral for him, and his body was carried by operatives of the PA national security forces.

• In the meantime, riots and the throwing of stones, Molotov cocktails and pipe bombs continued in Judea and Samaria:

• On November 9, 2015, a young Palestinian woman, about 17 years old, went to the checkpoint at the Cave of the Patriarchs, took out a knife and threw it on the ground. She was detained and taken for questioning.
• On November 8, 2015, Palestinians threw four Molotov cocktails at an Israeli vehicle near the Ma'aleh Hever Junction (Mt. Hebron). There were no casualties. The Palestinians who threw the Molotov cocktails fled (Facebook page of Red Alert, November 8, 2015).
• On November 8, 2015, Palestinians threw Molotov cocktails at an IDF post near the Jewish cemetery in Hebron. There were no casualties (Facebook page of Red Alert, November 6, 2015).
• On November 7, 2015, Palestinians threw stones near the Tomb of Rachel in Bethlehem. A young Israeli woman was injured when she got off a bus and was hit in the head by a stone (Facebook page of Red Alert, November 7, 2015).
• On November 6, 2015, Palestinians threw stones at a house in the Beit Hadassah neighborhood of Hebron, breaking a window; the stone landed inside the house. There were no casualties (Facebook page of Red Alert, November 6, 2015).
• On November 6, 2015, Palestinians threw stones at a bus south of Givat Assaf (near Beit El, north of El-Bireh). There were no casualties. The bus was damaged (Facebook page of Red Alert, November 6, 2015).
• On November 5, 2015, Palestinians shot at an Israeli guard post near Ofra. There were no casualties. Two bullets were found (Facebook page of Red Alert, November 5, 2015).

Hamas Calls for a Joint Palestinian Leadership to Coordinate and Direct the Current Wave of Terrorism

• In a Skype interview with journalists in the Gaza Strip,Khaled Mashaal, head of Hamas' political bureau, called for the PA and Fatah to formulate a concept and strategy for the continuation of the "Jerusalem intifada." He claimed the "resistance activities" [i.e., terrorist attacks] on the ground had to be united with political efforts and regional-international activities. He claimed the political leaders were responsible for defining a unified concept for the intifada, as well as joint national and political goals (Hamas website, November 4, 2015).
• In an interview with Al-Aqsa TV, Khalil al-Haya, a member of Hamas' political bureau, claimed the organizations were generally agreed about continuing and supporting the intifada. He called forthe establishment of local intifada coordinating committees in all West Bank cities (Al-Aqsa TV, November 5, 2015). In another interview he claimed most of the organizations agreed on establishing coordinating committees on the ground to direct the events in the West Bank. He warned against a freeze of the intifada and demanded all the organizations join and support the attacks with all the means at their disposal. However, he claimed Hamas did not support the establishment of an overall headquarters because that was liable to detract from the "popular character" of the intifada (Alresala.net, November 5, 2015).
• Salah al-Bardawil, a senior Hamas figure in the Gaza Strip, claimed Hamas extended its hand to Fatah and all the Palestinian organizations, and wanted to formulate a joint program to incite the intifada and continue it politically (Quds.net, November 3, 2015).

• Other terrorist organizations, such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) expressed their support for the establishment of a joint leadership to direct the intifada. PFLP deputy secretary general Abu Ahmed Fouad claimed his organization was prepared to meet in Beirut with representatives of all the organizations to establish a joint leadership (Al-Kofia Press, November 5, 2015). The DFLP also agreed to the idea, calling it "a progressive step and a golden opportunity" (Ma'an News Agency, November 5, 2015).

The Fight Against Incitement

• On November 3, 2015, the IDF in collaboration with the Israeli civil administration closed the Al-Huria radio station in Hebron, confiscating its equipment to keep it from broadcasting. According to the Israeli authorities, Al-Huria broadcast harsh incitement against the State of Israel, encouraged terrorist attacks and supported riots and violent marches (IDF Spokesman, November 3, 2015).
• Nader Abu Bakr, deputy chairman of the PA Journalists Syndicate, claimed Israel had committed a "dangerous crime" against a radio station that covered events on the ground. He claimed closing the station reflected the policies of the Israeli leadership, which accused the Palestinian media of incitement (Voice of Palestine Radio, November 4, 2015).

Palestinian Public Opinion Poll

• On November 5, 2015, the Arab World for Research and Development (AWRAD) published the results of a public opinion poll held between October 21 and 23, 2015, in which 1,200 Palestinians from Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip participated. The results were the following:

• 62% were of the opinion that the Palestinian people were ripe for a new intifada, as opposed to 35% of the opinion that it was not.
• 63% support the current intifada, and 33% oppose it.
• 54% support the so-called peaceful popular struggle, while 45% support an armed struggle.
• 64% are in favor of terminating provisions of the Oslo Accords, while 28% are against.
• 54% are of the opinion that 22 years after the Oslo Accords were signed, the dream of establishing a Palestinian state is further away than before, while 39% believe it is closer.

• 53% claim to be in favor of a two states for two peoples solution, while 43% are against.

Rocket Fire Attacking Israel

• On the evening of November 8, 2015, a rocket was fired into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. It hit an open area in the western Negev. There were no casualties and no damage was reported. In response Israel Air Force aircraft attacked a Hamas terrorist facility in the southern Gaza Strip (IDF Spokesman, November 9, 2015). The Palestinian media reported that a Hamas military post between Khan Yunis and Rafah had been attacked and that no casualties had been reported (Safa News Agency and Dunia al-Watan, November 9, 2015).
• On November 4, 2015, an ISIS-affiliated network calling itself the Company of Sheikh Omar Hadid claimed responsibility for firing three 107mm rockets at Israel. According to the claim, the rockets had been fired "to avenge the blood of the girls of Jerusalem" (Twitter account of the Company of Sheikh Omar Hadid, November 4, 2015). No rocket hits were identified in Israeli territory on November 4, 2015.

Riots and Terrorist Attacks near the Border Security Fence

• Gazans continue to riot near the border security fence in solidarity with the events in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem. This past week there was a gradual decrease in the number of Palestinians participating in the riots. According to various estimates, about 600 Palestinians participated, as opposed to a thousand during the previous week. The riots focused on the Erez crossing, Nahal Oz, Al-Bureij and Khan Yunis.
• According to reports in the Palestinian media, 16 Gazans were injured in the clashes (Wafa News Agency, November 6, 2015). It was also reported that a demonstrator named Salameh Musa Abu Jamaa' was killed by IDF fire during a clash east of Khan Yunis.

Palestinian Woman Detained Handled by Terrorist Network in the Gaza Strip

• In a joint Israeli security force operation, on October 18, 2015, Nasrin Abdallah Hassan, 40, was detained. Nasrin Hassan is an Israeli citizen who is married to a Gazan and lives in the Gaza Strip. Interrogation revealed that she had been recruited by a network calling itself "Battalions of the jihad fighters" (Kataeb al-Mujahaddin) to collect intelligence and carry out terrorist activities in Israeli territory.
• On two occasions when Nasrin Hassan was in Israel (January and July 2014) she collected intelligence about targets in the city of Haifa, among them the port, the central train station, the ministry of the interior building, the courthouse and a synagogue. She also expressed readiness to carry out terrorist attacks and was taught to make IEDs. She also appealed to a number of Israelis in an effort to enlist them in terrorist attacks, but had been unsuccessful (Israel Security agency website, not 5, 2015).

Mahmoud Abbas' Visit to Egypt

• Mahmoud Abbas headed a PA delegation on a three-day visit to Egypt. While there the met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, and Nabil al-Arabi, secretary general of the Arab League (Wafa News Agency, November 7, 2015). Reportedly, during the visit Mahmoud Abbas felt unwell and was hospitalized.
• According to reports, Mahmoud Abbas and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi discussed the Rafah crossing and the possibility that the PA would renew its oversight of the crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. It was also mentioned at the meeting that Egypt's efforts to ensure its eastern border were being carried out in coordination with the PA (Official Facebook page of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, November 8, 2015).
• After the meeting the Egyptian president said that the PA's return to the Gaza Strip and the securing of the border with Egypt would have a positive influence on an arrangement for opening the crossings and improving the quality of life in the Gaza Strip (Quds.net, November 8, 2015).

PA Encouragement for Terrorism

False Anti-Israeli Propaganda Accompanying the Current Wave of Terrorism

• Riyadh Mansour, the permanent Palestinian observer in the UN, sent a formal complaint to the president of the Security Council claiming that autopsies performed on the bodies of Palestinians after Israel returned them indicated they were missing corneas and other organs.^[3] He demanded an investigation be undertaken (Dunia al-Watan, November 5, 2015). Before the complaint was sent, Salam Khili, the coordinator for the popular campaign to return the bodies of Palestinian terrorists, told the families to agree to autopsies to verity that Israel stole organs from Palestinians bodies and transplanted them into wounded Israeli soldiers and civilians (Voice of Palestine, November 3, 2015).

Encouragement for Terrorism

• During the past week the Palestinian media continued their incitement for the continuation of vehicular and stabbing attacks, and for throwing stones. The official Palestinian press published cartoons encouraging stone throwing. Hamas continued posting notices to the Palestinian social networks encouraging vehicular and stabbing attacks.
• After weeks of intensive anti-Israeli incitement in the social networks, particularly Facebook, Hamas announced that Facebook's directors had removed 12 pages belonging to Hamas in Judea and Samaria. They included the so-called news pages, the "West Bank Youth Against Political Detentions" page, the "West Bank News Pulse" page and the page of the Islamic Bloc at the Islamic Polytechnic College in Hebron. Also removed were seven Facebook pages of the Islamic Movement in Judea and Samaria. They were removed because of their incitement to violence and murder (Hamas, November 5, 2015).
• In addition, three weeks ago Facebook removed pages, mainly of the Islamic Bloc [Hamas' student wing], because of their incitement to violence. They were back online a number of days later, but there was a reduction in the quantity of postings calling for violence, stabbing attacks, vehicular attacks, throwing stones and "igniting the West Bank." Nevertheless, there are still postings praising terrorist operatives who were killed and pictures of their funerals. Postings calling for participation in rallies are not prominent and appear as written notices. However, many Facebook pages continue inciting to violence. One of them is the Facebook page of the Islamic Bloc at Hebron, the city leading the current wave of terrorism.

 
Notice posted after the sniper fire that critically wounded an IDF soldier. The Arabic reads, "Hebron sniper. Hebron: the capital of Palestinian rage" (Facebook page of the Islamic Bloc in Hebron, November 6, 2015).

 Left: A personal Facebook page inciting the killing of Jews. The Hebrew reads, "Blood = Blood!!" and "#Kill_them." The Arabic reads, "Death to the settlers" (Facebook page of Tareq al-Qabawi, November 6, 2015). Right: A personal Facebook page encouraging stabbing attacks (Facebook page of Hanan al-Amsi, November 7, 2015).