- This past week terrorist event focused on the stabbing attack in Gush Etzion and an attack prevented in Jerusalem. Two IDF soldiers were wounded near the al-Aroub refugee camp in Gush Etzion when a Palestinian stabbed them with a screwdriver. In Jerusalem, a Palestinian tried to get on the light railway at the King George station with a bag containing several pipe bombs. The bombs were discovered in a security check and the terrorist was detained and taken for interrogation.
- The Palestinian media reported that Facebook had removed pages affiliated with Hamas in Judea and Samaria. A Hamas spokesman said it was not the first time Facebook had removed Hamas pages. He claimed Facebook implemented Israel's policy of persecuting the "resistance" (i.e., terrorist organizations) by silencing the voice of "resistance" media.
Terrorist Attacks and Attempted Attacks
- July 18, 2016:
- A Palestinian stabbed two IDF soldiers with a screwdriver nearthe al-Aroub refugee camp on the Gush Etzion road. One of the soldiers shot and mortally wounded the terrorist, who later died in a hospital; he also had a knife.
- The Palestinian media reported the terrorist was Mustafa Muhammad Othman Baradiya, 48, from Bayt Fajjar (south of Bethlehem). He was married and had six children. He taught chemistry at al-Tahrir government boys' school in Bayt Fajjar. His brother, Ibrahim Baradiya, attacked IDF soldiers with a knife at the same location on April 14, 2016, and was shot and killed (Quds Press and the Facebook page of QudsN, July 18, 2016).
- When Mustafa's brother Ibrahim was killed, the school issued a notice praising the death of Mustafa's "heroic brother Ibrahim Muhammad Baradiya." The notice read, "We [belong] to Allah and to him we return. With splendor and great glory..." (Facebook page of al-Tahrir school, April 15, 2016). Al-Tahrir school is a government school in the Bethlehem educational district and is administered by the Palestinian ministry of education.
- This past week several terrorist attacks were prevented:
- July 17, 2016 – A Palestinian terrorist tried to enter the light railway at the King George (Jaffa Center) station in Jerusalem carrying a bag. It aroused the suspicions of the railway security guards. When they examined the bag they found a number of pipe bombs. The Palestinian, 20 years old from Bayt Ula (northwest of Hebron), was detained and taken for interrogation (Jerusalem Police Department spokesman and Ma'an, July 17,2016).
- July 14, 2016 – Border Policemen detained a suspicious Palestinian in the Shuafat refugee camp. Others gathered to prevent his detention, one of them holding a knife. He was shot and critically wounded by the Border Policemen (Facebook page of Red Alert, July 14, 2016).
- July 13, 2016 – During an Israeli security force action to find a lathe for the manufacture of weapons in al-Ram, a vehicle sped towards the force. The soldiers opened fire. One of the passengers was killed, another seriously wounded and a third was captured and taken for interrogation (Facebook page of Red Alert, July 13, 2016). The Palestinian media reported that the Palestinian who was killed was Anwar Falah al-Salaymeh, 22, from al-Ram. Hamas in the district of Jerusalem issued a death notice for him, even though he was not a Hamas operative (Facebook page of Hamas in the district of Jerusalem, July 13, 2016).
Monthly Distribution of Terrorist Attacks in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem
Riots, Clashes and Popular Terrorism
- In the meantime, demonstrations, protest marches, riots, and the throwing of stones, Molotov cocktails, pipe bombs and light-arms gunfire continue in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem.
- The more prominent events were the following:
- July 18, 2016 – Israeli security forces razed the house of Palestinian terrorist Bilal Abu Zaid Kamil in Qabatiya in northern Samaria. Kamil was an accomplice in the terrorist attack carried out at the Nablus Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem on February 3, 2016 (where a Border Policewoman was killed). The Palestinian media reported that five Palestinians were wounded by Israeli security force fire after they rioted to keep the soldiers from razing the house (Ma'an, July 18, 2016).
- April 16, 2016 – Palestinians threw stones at an Israeli vehicle near Ofra. There were no casualties. The vehicle was damaged (Facebook page of Red Alert, July 16, 2016).
- July 14, 2016 – IDF forces conducted a broad counterterrorism action in Hebron and seized two lathes used in the manufacture of weapons (Facebook page of Red Alert, July 14, 2016).
- July 14, 2016 – Palestinians threw a pipe bomb at Israeli security forces operating in the village of Sa'ir (near Hebron). There were no casualties (Facebook page of Red Alert, July 14, 2016).
- July 13, 2016 – A squad of five Palestinians minors from al-Aida refugee camp was detained after they threw Molotov cocktails at the Tomb of Rachel in Bethlehem. During interrogation they confessed to throwing Molotov cocktails at least seven times (Facebook page of Red Alert, July 13, 2016).
Left: Lathes seized in al-Ram. Right: Lathes found in Hebron (IDF spokesman, July 14, 2016).
Palestinian Network Outlawed, Directed by Iran and Hezbollah
- On July 11, 2016, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman signed an order outlawing a Palestinian network called "the Young Movement" which operated in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem. He implemented a recommendation from the Israel Security Agency which stated that the network carried out terrorist attacks directed by Iran and Hezbollah. He said the "Young Movement" operated in the guise of a charitable association but in reality was a terrorist organization whose operatives carried out attacks, mainly throwing Molotov cocktails on Route 443 (the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv road). They also collected weapons in the Ramallah area.
- The network is headed by Muneir Shafiq, who opposes the Palestinian Authority (PA); Salim Asli, who lives in Lebanon; and Hilmi Atia, who lives in Jordan. The PA detained a several network operatives. They confessed to planning terrorist attacks against Israel as Hezbollah proxies. Another operative detained in Hebron said he and other operatives planned to attack the light railway in Jerusalem (Ynet, July 11, 2016). The network issued a denial of the charges in the Palestinian media, claiming it had no ties to Hezbollah or Iran (Ma'an, July 12, 2016).
Rocket Fire Attacking Israel
- This past week no rocket hits were identified in Israeli territory.
Events near the Border Security Fence
- On July 12, 2016, a man was seen crossing the border security fence into the Gaza Strip near Khan Yunis. Investigation revealed an Israeli had crossed the border. He was Juma'a Ibrahim Abu Ghanima, a Bedouin from the Negev.
- On July 15, 2016, dozens of Palestinians gathered at the border security fence near Nahal Oz. They set tires on fire and threw stones at Israeli security forces. The soldiers returned fire and wounded six Palestinians.
The Crossings
- The Israeli coordinator for government activities in the territories issued information about the activities of the border crossings during the week of July 10-16, 2016 (Facebook page in Arabic of the Israeli coordinator for government activities in the territories, July 18, 2016).
- Kerem Shalom crossing – 14,000 tons of food entered the Gaza Strip (6,052 during the two previous weeks), 96 tons of medical equipment (34 tons during the two previous weeks previously), 77 tons of building materials (38,660 tons during the two previous weeks) and 117 tons of agricultural produce (55 tons during the two previous weeks).
- Erez crossing – 3,605 people passed through the crossing (1,767 during the two previous weeks).
- For the first time since 2007, Israel renewed permits for the import of vehicles to the Gaza Strip through the Erez crossing. Buses, trucks and new cars were imported into the Gaza Strip (Ma'an, July 13, 2016 and the Facebook page of the Israeli coordinator for government activities in the territories, July 15, 2016).
Smuggling Attempts into the Gaza Strip Foiled
- Attempts to smuggle weapons and equipment into the Gaza Strip through the border crossings were recently foiled (Border Crossings Authority of the Ministry of Defense):
- On July 14, 2016, security inspectors of the Border Crossings Authority at the Kerem Shalom crossing stopped a truck for inspection. The truck was carrying spare parts for vehicles. Inspectors found an entire dismantled Mitsubishi pickup truck among the parts. The model is favored by Hamas' military-terrorist operatives.
- Security inspectors of the Border Crossings Authority and Israeli security forces recently exposed attempts to smuggle items in packages mailed through the Erez crossing. They included hang gliders and paragliders, binoculars, laser aiming devices, communications and electronic equipment, laser pointers, diving fins, various types of cameras and electronic components whose import into the Gaza Strip is forbidden.
Left: Forbidden items smuggled into the Gaza Strip by mail. Right: Parts of the dismantled Mitsubishi pickup (Border Crossings Authority, July 13 and 14, 2016).
Turkish Support for the Gaza Strip
- The deputy Turkish prime minister said in an announcement that Turkey would send another aid ship to the Gaza Strip close to Eid al-Adha holiday (September 2016). Its cargo will include medicine and equipment for children in the same quantities as sent in early July (Quds.net, July 14, 2016).
- As part of the Israeli-Turkish reconciliation agreement, on July 5, 2016 Turkey sent a ship with aid for the Gaza Strip that docked in the Israeli port of Ashdod. The merchandise entered the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing. The Turks held a press conference at the crossing in which, however, there was apparently relatively little public interest. Senior Hamas figures also did not mention the aid, with the exception of the director of the ministry of welfare. An economic commentator claimed the attempted military coup would not influence Turkish plans for sending aid to the Gaza Strip but might cause slight delays (Sawa, July 17, 2016).
Solidarity with the Turkish Regime after the Failure of the Coup
- Hamas issued a formal statement condemning the attempt military coup in Turkey. It praised the Turkish people, their leadership and the security forces that "were victorious and preserved [Turkish] democracy, liberty and stability." The statement also praised Turkey's position and activities for the Palestinians (Hamas website, July 16, 2016). Khaled Mashaal, head of Hamas' political bureau, called on the Turkish leadership to continue working for the Palestinian cause, despite Turkey's internal issues (Hamas website, July 18, 2016). Hamas also organized a number of rallies and demonstrations in support of Turkey (in Gaza City, Jabalia and Khan Yunis). At the event senior Hamas figures gave speeches and Gazans waved Turkish flags and held pictures of Turkish President Erdogan.
Salafist Operatives Detained in the Gaza Strip
- The Hamas security forces in the Gaza Strip detained ten ISIS-affiliated Salafist-jihadi operatives. The operatives allegedly planned, in association with others, to attack a Hamas target. According to reports Hamas is operating in the regions of Rafah and Khan Yunis to capture other operatives connected to the attack. Hamas security forces also located money and weapons (Al-Masdar, July 13, 2016).
Tunnel Collapse
- Another Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) tunnel collapsed in the region of Qarara, a neighborhood in northeastern Khan Yunis. One operative was killed and four were wounded. The operative killed was Saleh Muhammad Khaled al-Astal, 28, from Qarara, an operative in the PIJ's military-terrorist wing (Website of the Jerusalem Battalions, Quds Press and Ma'an, July 18, 2016). Last week another PIJ operatives was killed when a tunnel collapsed in the region of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip.
Summer Camps in the Gaza Strip
Hamas' Military-Terrorist Wing Summer Camps Begin
- On July 17, 2016, Hamas' military-terrorist wing announced the opening of its summer camps. The theme this year is "soldiers of Jerusalem." The camps last for two weeks and 30,000 children and adolescents will participate. The first camps will be for middle school children and the second for high school students. According to the announcement, camping activities will include training to develop military skills, marksmanship and civil defense, as well as lectures and battle legacy. The objective of the summer camps, according to the announcement, is "to light the flame of jihad in the generation of liberation, to sow the seeds of Islam and to prepare an army of victory for the liberation of Palestine" (Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades website, July 16, 2016).
Weapons training in the Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades summer camps (Facebook page of the Pioneers of Liberation, July 17, 2016).
Left: Training with dummy guns in a summer camp in the Rafah area. Right: Tunnel training in a summer camp in the Khan Yunis region (Facebook page of the Pioneers of Liberation, July 17, 2016).
PIJ Summer Camps End
- On July 16, 2016, the PIJ held ceremonies to end their summer camps. The slogan of the camps was "The lion cub resists" and the camps here held in the eastern part of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip. Three hundred children and adolescents participated in the PIJ camps, and received paramilitary training. According to the camps' organizers, their objective was to send the "Zionist occupation" the message that the younger generation in training would shatter the myth of the Israeli army's invincibility (Alebaatv.com, Palinfo, Paltoday, Facebook page of Quds.net, July 16, 2016).
Left: PIJ camper crawls through a tunnel. Right: PIJ campers armed with dummy rifles simulate the abduction of an IDF soldier (Facebook page of Quds.net, July 16, 2016).
Mahmoud Abbas Speaks before the African Union Summit
- Mahmoud Abbas gave a speech before the African Union (AU) summit meeting held in Kigali, Rwanda. He called on AU countries to support the French peace initiative and convene an international peace conference that would propose solutions for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He claimed the PA was prepared to hold peaceful negotiations with Israel and implement the Arab initiative for the two-state solution. He claimed that negotiations with Israel necessitated implementing all the agreements that had been signed, stopping [construction of] settlements and releasing all the Palestinian prisoner (Wafa, July 17, 2016).
Palestinian Public Opinion Poll
- The Arab World for Research and Development (AWRAD) held a public opinion poll of 221 representatives from the private sector in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip, with the following results:[3]
- 36.7% were of the opinion that the primary factor behind the protests since October 2015 was Israeli measures in the Old City of Jerusalem, 32.1% said youth frustration with the Palestinian leadership, and 24% said lack of economic opportunities for youth.
- 58.4% said the BDS has a positive impact on the Palestinian economy, 23.1% said it had no impact.
- Asked if Palestinian industry was capable of replacing Israeli products at the present time, 22.2% said yes, 21.7% said no, and 56.1% said partially.
Facebook Closes Hamas-Affiliated Pages
- The Palestinian media reported that Facebook had closed pages affiliated with Hamas throughout Judea and Samaria, among them Hamas' official page (Omamh). In addition, the Facebook pages of the Hamas-affiliated Islamic Bloc in a number of universities had been closed, as had those of people following them. The personal Facebook page of Izzat al-Rishq, a member Hamas' political bureau, was closed for the seventh time (Palinfo, July 13, 2016).
- In response, Hamas spokesman Husam Badran claimed the fact that a number of Palestinian pages belonging to Hamas had been closed for the sixth time during the Al-Quds intifada proved Facebook implemented Israeli policy to "persecute the resistance" [i.e., the terrorist organizations] because Israel had failed to prevent resistance activities. He claimed Facebook was trying to silence the voice of the resistance's media (Hamas website, July 16, 2016).
- Hamas' information bureau said in an announcement that Khaled Mashaal, head of Hamas' political bureau, did not have an account with any of the social media and he called on all the media not to collaborate with the fictitious accounts opened in his name (Kofia.press, July 14, 2016).
[1]As of July 19, 2016. The statistics do not include mortar shell fire or rockets which misfired and fell inside the Gaza Strip.
[2]The statistics do not include mortar shell fire or rockets which misfired and fell inside the Gaza Strip.
[3]http://www.awrad.org/files/server/Private%20Sector%20English%20Poll%20Press%20Release%20june%202016.pdf