Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (July 12-18, 2023)

Shots fired near Tekoa

• On the morning of July 16, 2023, at the Tekoa Junction (southeast of Bethlehem) shots were fired from a moving vehicle at a father driving his two daughters in the family car. The father was critically wounded; the daughters were wounded by flying glass. An IDF force deployed to the site searched the area for the shooter. The search revealed 5.56mm shell casings, the kind of ammunition used by M-16 assault rifles (IDF spokesman Telegram channel and the Israeli media, July 16, 2023).

   
Right: The scene of the shooting attack near Tekoa (Magen David Adom, July 16, 2023).
Left: The attacked civilian car (Shehab Twitter account, July 16, 2023).

• The vehicle used in the attack was located in Bethlehem; the gun and a Hamas flag were inside. Information was received that the terrorist was in the al-Rabat Mosque in Bethlehem, situated near the building housing the Bethlehem district governor’s office. Israeli security forces surrounded the mosque and the terrorist surrendered; two Palestinians in the mosque with him were also detained and local residents clashed with the security forces (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account and the Israeli media, July 16, 2023). The Palestinian media reported 15 wounded, five of whom were evacuated to the hospital in Bethlehem (Ma’an and al-Quds, July 16, 2023).

   
Right: Hamas flag in the vehicle (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account and the Israeli media, July 16, 2023).
Left: Palestinians riot in Bethlehem as the IDF detains the terrorist (Wafa, July 16, 2023).

• The “Prisoners’ Information Bureau”^[1] reported that one of the three Palestinians detained was released prisoner Amer al-Najar, 26 years old, from Hebron, accused by Israel of carrying out the shooting at the Tekoa Junction (@AsraMedia Twitter account, July 16, 2023) and reportedly a Hamas operative (QudsN Facebook page, July 16, 2023). Hours before the attack he posted a picture of a masked, armed Hamas terrorist operative with the caption “Some of them wait” and the logo of the Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military-terrorist wing (Palinfo, July 16, 2023).

   
Right: Amer al-Najar. Left: The picture he posted (Itimad Feisal’s Twitter account. July 16, 2023).

• Hamas issued an announcement praising his “courageous act,” claiming that the “eyes of the resistance” were open and waited for the enemy everywhere. The “resistance” [terrorist organizations], according to the announcement, would continue “liberating the land and holy sites” and end the “occupation” by force of “the sword of Jerusalem,” which was still “lifted aloft” (Hamas website, July 16, 2023). Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem, relating to the location of the attack, said the “resistance” in Judea and Samaria was escalating, “surprising” Israel time and again with the place and manner of attack, this time near Tekoa (Hamas website, July 16, 2023). Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) spokesman Tareq Salami called the attack “the natural and legitimate [sic] reaction to the crimes of the occupation army and the settlers” (PIJ website, July 16, 2023).

Shots fired at an IDF post near Tulkarm

• On the morning of July 13, 2023, shots were fired at an IDF post near Tulkarm. IDF forces returned fire. No casualties or damage were reported. The region was searched and a number of shell casings were found (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 13, 2023).

Palestinian infiltrates the settlement of Asaël

• On the morning of July 15, 2023, a Palestinian infiltrated the settlement of Asaël (south of Hebron). Local residents were requested to stay indoors. Settlement security personnel arrived and apprehended him; he was unarmed (Israeli media, July 15, 2023).

Critical Terrorist Attacks in Judea and Samaria since July 2021^[2]

Counterterrorism Activities

• This past week the Israeli security forces continued intensive counterterrorism activities in Judea and Samaria, focusing on Bethlehem, Hebron and Nablus. They detained Palestinians suspected of involvement in terrorism and confiscated large quantities of weapons:
• On July 13, 2023, Israeli security forces operating Hebron and al-Khader (west of Bethlehem) confiscated two handguns, an M-16 assault rifle, ammunition and six ammunition magazines (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 13, 2023).

   
Right: Weapons confiscated in al-Khader. Left: Two handguns confiscated in Hebron (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 13, 2023).

• On July 12, 2023, Israeli security forces operating in Turmus Aya (northeast of Ramallah) confiscated about $180,000 earmarked to fund terrorism. During the activity Palestinians threw rocks and bottles of paint; the forces responded with riot control measures. Two Palestinians were wounded (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 12, 2023).
•  On July 12, 2023, Israeli security forces operating in the Dheisheh refugee camp (southwest of Bethlehem) confiscated military equipment and an IED, which was neutralized by the forces. During the activity Palestinians threw rocks, IEDs and Molotov cocktails, and shot fireworks at the soldiers, who responded with riot control measures and live fire (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 12, 2023).

Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades in Jenin announces use of an armor-piercing device

• The engineering unit of the Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military-terrorist wing, in Jenin issued a video announcing the introduction of an armor-piercing device called the “Shoaz 1” for use against the Israeli security forces. According to the announcement, Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades engineers used one to attack Israeli armored vehicles during the most recent IDF activity in Jenin and it was found to be highly destructive. In addition, the announcement continued, the engineering unit was manufacturing IEDs in large numbers and developing new models (Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades in Judea and Samaria Telegram channel, July 15, 2023).

     
The Shoaz 1 armor-piercing device (Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades in Judea and Samaria Telegram channel, July 15, 2023).

• After the announcement the Hamas-affiliated websites reported that shoaz meant “flame,” and referred to the device’s smokeless green flame. At the beginning of the second intifada (2000) the Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades began developing Shoaz IEDs to attack armored vehicles. The Shoaz 1 contains 40 kgs (88 lbs) of explosives, was later developed to the Shoaz 7, the most advanced device, which weighs less and contains 3.5 kgs (7.7 lbs) of explosives and can penetrate metal plates 38 centimeters (15″) [sic] thick (Shehab, July 15, 2023).
• Salah al-Bardawil, a member of the Hamas’ political bureau, said in an interview that preparations were being made in Jenin for “an immense explosion against Israel,” and the city was the spearhead leading millions of Palestinians. He claimed the “resistance’s rapid development” in Jenin “proved” Israel’s future and the future of security coordination would be gloomy. He also claimed the Gaza Strip supported the “resistance” in Judea and Samaria and the “resistance” [terrorist operatives] in Jenin knew it (Hamas website, July 15, 2023).
• Hamas spokesman Abd al-Latif al-Qanua praised the military-terrorist wing for the effort it invested in Jenin and the introduction of the use of the Shoaz IEDs in Judea and Samaria. He also claimed that the development of the Hamas military wing’s capabilities established the “equation” according to which the “resistance” expanded and determined the rules of the confrontation with Israel. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem also praised the Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades for the effort it invested in Jenin and the introduction of the Shoaz IEDs (Hamas website, July 15, 2023).

Rocket and mortar shell fire into Israel

• This past week no rocket or mortar shell hits were identified in Israeli territory.

Monthly Distribution of Rocket and Mortar Shell Fire since September 2021

Annual Distribution of Rocket Hits since 2006

Electricity shortage in the Gaza Strip

• With the regional heat wave and the consequent increase in the consumption of electricity, the electric company in the Gaza Strip reduced its hours of service in an effort to manage and channel delivery. As a result, and to protest, Palestinians activists began a campaign on the social networks with the hashtag “#fourth-turbine.”^[3] It became popular and thousands of local residents tweeted their experiences during the power outages (Paltoday, July 16, 2023).
• Some tweeters blamed the PA, using the hashtag “#PA_burns_Gaza.” Others quoted a report on the al-Araby al-Jadeed website claiming Egypt had denied Algeria’s request to transfer fuel from Algeria to the Gaza Strip (Muhammad Abu Shalouf’s Twitter account, July 15,2023; Bilal Abd al-Aziz’ Twitter account, July 15, 2023). Still others blamed Hamas for the situation. For example, a Gazan named Abed Alkareem Mushtaha posted a video of Yahya al-Sinwar giving a speech after Operation Guardian of the Walls in which he promised to solve all of Gaza’s problems caused by the “siege” (Abed Alkareem Mushtaha’s Twitter account, July 16, 2023). A tweeter named Dareen wrote, “The fuel for the power station comes from Qatar, and it’s free. The electricity that comes from the occupation is paid for by the PA. Where does the money go that was stolen from the Gazans through electricity bills?” (@dareen3232 Twitter account, July 15, 2023).
• The chairman of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip energy commission explained that three turbines operated the power station, while the fourth one was inactive and operated intermittently “to preserve it.” He claimed that after being enlarged and developed the power station would produce 500 megawatts of electricity by 2029, and that Egypt was expected to provide the Gaza Strip with 50 megawatts as part of agreements currently being formulated, and it was reasonable to assume that would be the case next year, in 2024 (al-Muaten channel website, July 16, 2023).
• Zafer Milhem, chairman of the PA energy commission in Ramallah, accused Hamas of faulty management. He said that every month the PA energy commission paid Israel more than $11 million for fuel for the power station and the rest was funded by Qatar. In addition, money was paid to maintain the power grid in the Gaza Strip. He said he had no control over the funds charged by the [Hamas-controlled] electric company in Gaza and did not know where the money went. However, he did know that electricity was supplied unequally, and some recipients received preferential treatment (al-Quds, July 18, 2023).
• The Palestinian organizations held a meeting to discuss the problem and called on Egypt to renew and increase its provision of electricity to the Gaza Strip as soon as possible. They also appealed to Qatar to continue helping Gaza in various ways, especially the monthly donation of money. The organizations also blamed Israel for continuing the “siege” of Gaza (al-Aqsa Telegram channel, July 16, 2023).

   
Organizational meeting (al-Aqsa Telegram channel, July 16, 2023).

The Hamas administration suffers from financial distress

• Awni al-Basha, deputy security of the treasury in the Gaza Strip, said in an interview that the Hamas administration was suffering from a severe financial crisis which caused a budget deficit and delayed the payment of salaries. He claimed one reason was that Qatar had reduced the funds it provided for the salaries of public sector workers from $10 million to $3 million for June, money which had not yet reached the Gaza Strip. Another reason, he claimed, was the rise in the price of fuel from Egypt, which influenced the ministry of the treasury’s income. Regarding the ministry’s expenses, he noted the subsidized price of cooking gas and $16.7 million for buying drugs for the ministry of health, in addition to debts to the drug companies amounting to more than $11 million. He called on Qatar to bring money to Gaza and on Egypt to increase trade with Gaza and lower the price of fuel and gas. He also called on international institutions to support public health in the Gaza Strip (Sawt al-Aqsa Radio, July 15, 2023; the ministry of health in Gaza website, July 15, 2023).

Isma’il Haniyeh visits Istanbul

• On July 12, 2023, Isma’il Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau, paid a visit to the Istanbul headquarters of the International Organization to Support the Prophet of Islam. He met with clerics belonging to the organization and discussed various issues including the situation in “Palestine,” especially in Jerusalem and al-Aqsa mosque (Shehab, July 14, 2023).

   
Isma’il Haniyeh and the organization’s secretary general, Sheikh Muhammad al-Saghir^[4] (International Organization to Support the Prophet of Islam Twitter account, July 12, 2023).

Ziyad al-Nakhalah interviewed by the Iranian IRNA news agency

• PIJ leader Ziyad al-Nakhalah was interviewed by the Iranian IRNA news agency after the IDF activity in Jenin and the Jenin refugee camp, which for the most part was the subject matter discussed. He said the following (IRNA, July 9, 2023):
  • The Jenin Battalion: He said it started out as an idea which then turned into serious fact, as proved by the events in Jenin. In light of their success they were working hard to establish such battalions in every Palestinian city, but the size varied from city to city. They existed despite many obstacles, the worst of which was the lack of weapons and the capabilities to provide them. They were working as hard as they could to bring the Jenin model to all the Palestinian cities, and there were young Palestinians who were ready and willing.
  • The weapons and tunnels located during the activity in Jenin: Asked why Israel referred to tunnels, UAVs and advanced IEDs, he answered that yes, they did have such things, but not in the way Israel described them. He claimed they were necessary for the “resistance’s” existence but were very modest in scope. Israel exaggerated the situation to claim it fought against a front with high capabilities to justify the use of its modern weapons.
  • The “resistance” in the Gaza Strip during the activity in Jenin: Asked if the high-level command of the military wings in the Gaza Strip were in contact with the Jenin Battalion during the activity, he answered that they monitored the events, but not specifically from the Gaza Strip, because Gaza was not the whole “resistance,” only part of it. Asked why the organizations in the Gaza Strip had not participated in the activity in Jenin, he said they aspired to have the “resistance” participate in every engagement [with Israel] but there were instances where other considerations took priority.
  • The “resistance” in Judea and Samaria: al-Nakhalah rejected the claims that the escalation of the “armed resistance” in Judea and Samaria weakened the PA and was part of a plan to overthrow it. He added that the “resistance” in Judea and Samaria opposed the “occupation” and was not directed against the PA, proved by the fact that they had not clashed with the PA even once. He claimed the PA was smart and benefitted from the “resistance.”
  • PIJ-Hamas relations: al-Nakhalah claimed that relations between the PIJ and Hamas were a strategic connection based on the clear, specific principles of Islam, jihad and “Palestine.” He said they sometimes disagreed on tactics, but remained committed to the basic principles.
  • PIJ-Iran relations: He said talk about relations between the PIJ and Iran was not new, and today all the “resistance” forces [terrorist organizations] had excellent relations with Iran, which supported all the “resistance” movements. Iran met its commitments to the Palestinians as Muslim country, and they thanked it for that, and called on all the Arab-Muslim countries to meet their commitment to “Palestine” and the Palestinian issue, and to support the “resistance.”

Mahmoud Abbas visits Jenin

• On the afternoon of July 12, 2023, after extensive security preparations, Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Jenin in a Jordanian helicopter for a short visit to the city and its refugee camp, covered by the Palestinian media in a special broadcast. He was accompanied by a number of senior officials, including Majdi al-Khaldi, his political advisor, Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary of the PLO’s Executive Committee, and Majed Faraj, the head of the Palestinian general intelligence. He was received by PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh, Akram al-Rajoub, the governor of the Jenin district, the heads of the security services and senior members of the Fatah movement.
• While in Jenin, Mahmoud Abbas visited the refugee camp and laid a wreath in memory of those killed in the recent events, then continued to the refugee camp where he gave a speech before the assembled crowd. He said they had come to prove they were one authority, and one country with one law, one security and one stability, and would attack anyone who tried to attack their unity or security. He called the Jenin refugee camp a symbol of courage, “struggle” and firm stance. He had come, he claimed, to monitor the reconstruction of the refugee camp and the city. He thanked Algeria and the UAE for their contributions and said he hoped more countries would follow suit. Before he left he went to Jenin general security headquarters, where he was briefed on its operations (Wafa, July 12, 2023).

   
Right: Mahmoud Abbas lands in Jenin. Left: Mahmoud Abbas gives a speech in the Jenin refugee camp (Wafa website, July 12, 2023).

• The Hamas-affiliated media outlets mocked the visit, claiming it had lasted less than an hour, during which he refused to meet with important local figures and activists or tour the refugee camp, even though it was his first visit in 11 years (Shehab Twitter account, July 12, 2023).

Detentions carried out by the PA security services

• The PA security services carried out a series of detentions of PIJ operatives in the Jenin district village of Jaba. According to reports, they detained Iyad Muhammad Hamamra, 28 years old; Muhammad Salim al-Awna,^[5] 41 years old; Muhammad Fayiz al-Aysha, 42 years old; Ma’amun Adnan Fashafasha, 20 years old; and Imad Muhammad Khalili, 25 years old. They were detained in addition to a number of operatives held by the PA security services (Daffa_media Telegram channel [the PIJ Telegram channel in Judea and Samaria], July 16, 2023).
• The Fatah movement in Jaba and the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades (AAMB) – the Shaheed Amjad al-Fakhouri Squads, said in an announcement that they opposed the security force detentions carried out in the middle of the night because they wanted to preserve the security of children, the aged and women. They added they would respond strongly if any security service [operatives] harmed a house or person in Jaba (@alaqsa_westbank Telegram channel, July 16,  2023).

• An organization in Ramallah calling itself Lawyers for Justice^[6] announced that Murad Malisha, a Jenin Battalion commander, and Muhammad Brahama, another Jenin Battalion operative, both detained en route to Jenin to fight against the Israeli forces during the most recent IDF activity, were beginning a hunger strike and would not even drink water while imprisoned in the PA jail in Jericho (Filastin al-A’an, July 16, 2023).
• The Lebanese daily newspaper al-Akhbar reported that according to PA security sources, in the coming days broad detentions would begin in northern Samaria, especially in Jenin. According to the paper, the plan had been agreed on by the PA, Israel and regional authorities to prevent the strengthening of terrorists in Judea and Samaria and the collapse of the PA. The newspaper also claimed that Mahmoud Abbas’ visit to Jenin was the first step of a plan to regain control of Jenin (Lebanese daily al-Akhbar, July 16, 2023).

Condemnation of political detentions in the PA territories

• The Palestinian information center Ma’ata^[7] reported that during June 2023 the PA security services carried out 411 “violations” of the rights of students, especially activists of Hamas’ Islamic Bloc. Among the violations reported were 120 detentions, 35 summons for interrogation, 20 instances of torture, 10 of assault and battery, 26 raids on homes and workplaces, 85 instances of suppression of freedoms, 10 of kidnapping, 60 of arbitrary trials, 27 of deteriorating health, and 18 of suppression of demonstrations and other violations. It was also reported that the PA security services increased pressure on Balata Battalion operatives in Nablus to turn themselves in, and threatened that otherwise the camp would be invaded by Israeli forces who would “eliminate” them (Palinfo, July 10, 2023).
• Hamas strongly condemned the PA security services’ political arrests, especially when the Palestinians were engaged in confronting Israel, calling it cowardice and deserving of condemnation, and claiming it threatened societal peace and opened the door to civil strife (fitna), the last thing the Palestinians currently needed. Hamas called on the PA to stop security coordination and political detentions, and to immediately release all detainees (Hamas website, July 11, 2023).
• Husam Badran, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, said that political detentions had recently increased and included many instances of torture and interrogation based on political activity. He said that the security services had to stop the arrests and release all political detainees, so that Hamas and the other organizations in Gaza could work to make Mahmoud Abbas’ initiative succeed (independentarabia website, July 13, 2023).
• PIJ leader Ziyad al-Nakhalah said the detentions of PIJ senior figures and activists in Judea and Samaria cast a pall over the upcoming meeting of organization leaders initiated by Mahmoud Abbas and doomed it to failure (PIJ website, July 11, 2023).
• Eight Palestinian organizations, among them Hamas, PIJ, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the Palestinian National Initiative, the Popular Front – General Headquarters (PFLP-GH), the Palestinian People’s Party, the Organization of the Pioneers of the War of Liberation, and the Palestinian Democratic Union issued a joint statement of their opposition to detentions in general and the detention of senior officials, activists and released prisoners in particular. They claimed it was a serious violation of the law and behavior contrary to the national consensus. They demanded that the PA leadership and its security services immediately stop the detentions and release all the political detainees (al-Araby al-Jadeed, July 11, 2023).
• Talal Dweikat, spokesman for the PA security services, claimed in response that there was no truth to the reports and no one had been detained based on political affiliation (Wafa, July 13, 2023). Lawyers for Justice responded that the claims of the spokesperson for the security services regarding political arrests should not have been made, and disregarded freedom and human rights (Lawyers for Justice Facebook page, July 14, 2023).

The PA prime minister harshly criticizes the American president and his administration

• PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh gave a speech at the opening of the Palestinian National Population Conference held in al-Bireh. He claimed that because of Israel’s anti-Palestinian racial discrimination they were moving towards the South African model of apartheid. He claimed Israel was a racist country where a Jewish minority controlled a Palestinian majority [sic], destroying the idea of the two-state solution. He was harshly critical of the Israeli government which, claiming it was interested in maintaining the status quo, was waging a war against PA lands and the PA government’s finances. He was also critical of President Biden and the American administration, claiming that the unprecedented Israeli attack against the Palestinian territories resulted from the American administration’s, and especially the American president’s, lack of political horizons. He pointed out that Biden was the only American president who did not propose a political initiative or send an envoy [to the PA] and that the US government only stood on the sidelines (Wafa, July 11, 2023).

The PA encourages Jordanian businessmen to invest in the Palestinian economy

• Muhammad Shtayyeh gave a speech at a conference of Palestinian and Jordanian businessmen held in Hebron, emphasizing the concessions the PA government gave to the Palestinian private sector for promoting and developing the Palestinian economy, including the granting of loans with preferential terms and establishing industrial zones. He also claimed they were working with Jordan to expand the Allenby Crossing so that merchandise could be transferred. He also said they had established company in Jordan for marketing agricultural produce to Arab and international markets (Wafa, July 11, 2023).

   
Muhammad Shtayyeh at the conference of Palestinian and Jordanian businessmen
(Wafa, July 11, 2023).

Rocks, Molotov cocktails and other attacks

• In Judea, Samaria and east Jerusalem Palestinians continued throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at Israeli vehicles driving on the roads. A conspicuous number of IDF posts were attacked with rocks and Molotov cocktails. The more prominent events were the following:^[8]
  • July 17, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between Azzun and Ma’aleh Shomron (east of Qalqilya). Five civilians were injured.
  • July 16, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an IDF post in the Halhul area (north of Hebron). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • July 16, 2023: Molotov cocktails were thrown at an IDF post near al-Aroub (north of Hebron) No casualties or damage were reported.
  • July 16, 2023: A Molotov cocktail was thrown at an IDF post in Hebron. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • July 16, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Beitar Illit (west of Bethlehem). Once person was injured; damage was reported.
  • July 16, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between the al-Khader Junction and Beitar Illit (west of Bethlehem). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • July 12 and 14, 2023: Rocks were thrown at Israeli vehicles in Tekoa (southeast of Bethlehem). No casualties were reported; vehicles were damaged.