Palestinian Reactions to the Prevention of a Terrorist Attack at the Jalameh Crossing (September 14, 2022)

Overview

• On the night of September 13, 2022, a terrorist attack was prevented at the Jalameh Crossing, north of Jenin. Two Palestinians, who were initially identified by IDF surveillance as unarmed, opened fire at IDF soldiers who carried out protocol for detaining suspects. An IDF major and the two terrorists were killed in the exchange of fire.^[1]
• The two terrorists were cousins from Kafr Dan, northwest of Jenin. One, Ahmed ‘Abed, was an operative in the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) military intelligence and a graduate of its military academy in Jericho. The other was Abd al-Rahman ‘Abed. Ahmed ‘Abed had formerly expressed support for Palestinian terrorists who carried out attacks against Israelis.
• In Jenin, Fatah declared a full commercial strike in mourning for their deaths and the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, Fatah’s military-terrorist wing, issued a mourning notice stating that the two terrorists belonged to its ranks. Armed masked operatives distributed candy and cakes in the streets of Jenin to celebrate the killing of the IDF officer.
• Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) welcomed the attack and noted they would continue their “military struggle” against Israel. They claimed the attack was the “natural response” to Israel’s [alleged] activities against the Palestinians and declared Israel’s threats would not deter them.
• Following the event, Israel closed the Jalameh Crossing to vehicles until September 16, 2022, with the exception of Palestinians entering Israel for work and the transportation of goods. The crossing, which only reopened in April 2022, is an important conduit for the Palestinian economy.

The Attempted Attack

• On the night of September 13, 2022, IDF surveillance identified two suspicious Palestinians close to the border near the Jalameh Crossing north of Jenin. Initially they were not identified as armed. IDF forces deployed to the site outflanked the Palestinians and carried out protocol for detaining suspects. The Palestinians shot at the soldiers, who returned their fire, killing them. An IDF officer was killed in the exchange of fire. The terrorists were armed with standard automatic weapons and an improvised machinegun (IDF spokesman, Israeli media, September 14, 2022).

   
The terrorists’ weapons (IDF spokesman, September 14, 2022).

The terrorists

• According to the Palestinian media, the two Palestinians killed were:
  • Ahmed Ayman Ibrahim ‘Abed, 23 years old, from Kafr Dan. He graduated from al-Istiqlal University [the Palestinian academy for security and military sciences] and was an operative in the Palestinian military intelligence forces (Palestinian TV Facebook page, September 14, 2022).

• Abd al-Rahman Hani Subhi ‘Abed, 22 years old, from Kafr Dan.

• The two terrorists were cousins (al-Quds, September 14, 2022; Facebook page of Hafez ‘Abed, September 14, 2022). They were also cousins of Shukat Kamal ‘Abed, who died on April 15, 2022, after having been wounded in a clash with IDF forces in Kafr Dan on April 14, 2022 (Jenin al-Qassam Telegram channel, September 14, 2022).

Fatah’s al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades issued a mourning notice, stating that both were al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades operatives (Amad, September 14, 2022).

• In the past Ahmed ‘Abed posted support on his Facebook page for Palestinian terrorists who carried out attacks against Israel.
• After the IDF killed Ibrahim al-Nablusi, an al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades operative, on August 9, 2022, he wrote, “Sir! At this time, the only person who can be called sir is someone who did what you did: our army and our shaheed, Ibrahim al-Nablusi” (Ahmed ‘Abed’s Facebook page, August 9, 2022). He also wrote, “We are witnesses to the fact that you kept the faith entrusted to you, and were of value at a time of inactivity and treason. You pursued them and they did not pursue you … mercy on your pure soul and [may you reach] paradise, shaheed” (Ahmed ‘Abed’s Facebook page. August 9, 2022).

    
Ayman ‘Abed’s posts after Ibrahim al-Nablusi was killed (Ayman ‘Abed’s Facebook page, August 9, 2022).

•  After the IDF killed Fatah terrorist operative Daoud al-Zubeidi on May 13, 2022, he wrote, “Glory to the shaheeds, only to them and not to others. This is the path and the only path. You kept all your promises, hero: you were a wanted man, then a prisoner, then wounded, and finally a shaheed. Shaheed Daoud al-Zubeidi, son of the Jenin refugee camp” (Ayman ‘Abed’s Facebook page, May 15, 2022).

Palestinian reactions

• Atta Abu Rumila, security of the Fatah movement in the Jenin district, declared a general strike in Jenin to mourn the two dead terrorists (Palestinian TV Facebook page, September 14, 2022).

• According to a post on the Facebook page of Fatah’s bureau of information and culture, Ahmed Ayman Ibrahim ‘Abed was an operative in the Palestinian military intelligence forces. The post bore the hashtag, #glory_to_the_shaheeds (Facebook page of Fatah’s bureau of information and culture, September 14, 2022).
• After the mourning notice had been issued, Fatah’s official Facebook page posted the following:
  • “The foreign infidel, who wants his page in the history books, is mistaken in his delusions as he tries to change, twist and distort the true picture of the occupied West Bank. Historically, Fatah has not traded on the blood of the people in return for its interests, and has lost a great deal in preserving every drop of blood. It teaches its children that the use of arms is the means, not the end. Now, after [experiencing] the stiff neck of the occupation’s home front and its denial of all the agreements [reached] after so many years, Fatah believes that energizing its methods and broadening its tactics to the greatest possible extent has become an urgent need for the force realizing our people’s rights” (Official Fatah Facebook page, September 14, 2022).

• Hamas praised the attack, especially noting its pride in Ahmed ‘Abed, an operative in the Palestinian military intelligence forces, “who provided an example of patriotism and preceded his comrades in the security forces by shooting the soldiers of the occupation in the heart, again proving to Israel (the “occupation”) that the Palestinians cannot be domesticated.” The announcement claimed the attack was a warning to Israel (“the Zionist occupation”), which was planning to escalate its “violations” in al-Aqsa mosque, enlisting the settlers to “contaminate” it. [It was] a warning that the Palestinians and their “resistance” [terrorist organizations] were always ready to defend Jerusalem and al-Aqsa mosque, regardless of the number of victims it would cost (Hamas website, September 14, 2022).
• Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem wrote that Jenin al-Qassam continued fighting and “resisting” the “Zionist occupation” [carrying out terrorist attacks], and was already making plans for the next stage, which would be the ongoing “revolution” [carried out] until the Palestinian people had attained their objectives. Today, he wrote, the “heroes of Jenin” scorned all the “occupation’s empty threats against the West Bank cities,” and paid no attention to attempts to frighting them with planes and invasions (Hazem Qassem’s Twitter account, September 14, 2022).
• The PIJ in the West Bank also praised and welcomed the attack, claiming it had been carried out on the anniversary of the “cursed Oslo Accords” to announce their demise at the hands of a military hero [terrorist operative]. The attack would tell everyone that the agreements slanted against the rights of the Palestinians to the land of “Palestine” were unacceptable, and they would sacrifice everything to restore the rights that were stolen from them. The PIJ also said Jenin had again proved it was the spearhead of the “resistance” [terrorist attacks against Israel], and the “resistance” was not frightened by all of Israel’s (“the occupation”) threats and “unending terrorism” [sic]. The organization claimed the attack was “the natural and legitimate [sic] response to the occupation’s crimes” against the Palestinian people and the desecration of their holy sites. The attacks would continue until the defeat of Israel and its eradication (PIJ website, September 14, 2022).
• The Jerusalem Brigades, the PIJ’s military-terrorist wing, praised the attack in Jenin, claiming it proved unequivocally that Israel (“the enemy”) would never enjoy stability on Palestinian land because the every day the Palestinians would send Israel bullets as a message. The Jerusalem Brigades stressed the so-called “unity of the fronts” and fate, claiming the fighting would be universal as long as the enemy and its settlers were still [on Palestinian land] (PIJ website, September 14, 2022).
• On the morning of September 14, 2022, the Palestinian factions held an event in Gaza City to mark the 17^th anniversary of Israel’s disengagement from the Gaza Strip. A large sign was hung for the event with pictures of the two ‘Abed cousins (Twitter account of photojournalist Hassan Aslih, September 14, 2022).

• Operatives of the Palestinian security forces and PA workers eulogized the ‘Abed cousins on the social networks. For example:
  • Mohammad S. Shindy, who, according to his Facebook page, works for the Palestinian customs police and studied at al-Istiqlal University, wrote, “… al-Istiqlal University is the military academy that graduates officers … You can’t go anywhere in the university without the smelling the sweet scent of the shaheeds … and our country is Palestine from the first point of the [Mediterranean] sea to the last point of the [Jordan] river. We learned that these people are our people and we have to defend them with our lives; it is our duty to sacrifice because there is no one like us. [We learned] that our enemy is Israel and our land is occupied Palestine. Proudly, I say I was an al-Istiqlal University student and it was our first home in the Palestinian National Authority. Glory to the shaheed of independence and the homeland, Ahmed ‘Abed” (Facebook page of Mohammad S. Shindy, September 14, 2022).
  • Mahmoud Ramadan, who, according to his Facebook page, is an operative in the Palestinian special police forces and also studied at al-Istiqlal University, wrote, “Proudly, I announce the death of the martyr, brother and my classmate at the university, the heroic shaheed Ahmed ‘Abed, may Allah have mercy on your soul, my beloved” (Facebook page of Mahmoud Ramadan, September 14, 2022).
  • Wala Awad, who, according to her Facebook page, works for the PA ministry of the interior and also studied at al-Istiqlal University, wrote, “Yesterday we lost shaheed Yazan Abu Tabih and today Ahmed ‘Abed, both sons of al-Istiqlal University. We don’t say goodbye because if Allah so wills it, we will meet in paradise” (Facebook page of Wala Awad, September 14, 2022).

^[1] In a different attack, on the morning of September 13, 2022, shots were fired at an Israeli ministry of defense vehicle near the Jalameh Crossing. ↑

Related Articles