News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (January 2 – 8, 2019)

The January 4, 2019 “return march”

• On January 4, 2019, the 41^st “return march” was held with the theme “Resistance to normalization [with Israel].” About 10,000 Palestinians participated, an increase from the previous week’s 5,500. There was also an increase in the level of violence, including attempts to cross the fence and enter Israeli territory.

• Ashraf al-Qidra, spokesman for the ministry of health, reported that 15 Palestinians had been injured by IDF fire (Ashraf al-Qidra’s Twitter account, January 4, 2019). The Palestinian Red Crescent reported 309 Palestinians injured (Palinfo Twitter account, January 4, 2019).
• As they have every week, senior figures from Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and other organizations participated in the events. All the speeches related to the issue of normalization [of a number of Arab-Muslim countries] with Israel, which, they claimed was “treason” against the Palestinian people. The spokesmen also continued to declare that the “return marches” would continue in 2019:
  • Senior Hamas figure Isma’il Radwan condemned the Arab states normalizing relations with Israel, saying that as far as the “resistance” [terrorist organizations] was concerned it was treason against the Arab nation, the Palestinian people and their struggle. He said that the Palestinian people would not stop their struggle until they had achieved freedom and until the “siege” of the Gaza Strip had been lifted (al-Aqsa, January 4, 2019).
  • Senior PIJ figure Khader Habib, a member of the Supreme National Authority, condemned the normalization with Israel and compared it to a “cancer” spreading through the Arab nation. As to future “return marches,” Habib said efforts were being invested to develop tools the Palestinian people could use in the “return marches.” That was because, he said, as long as Israel was in Palestinian territories and robbed the Palestinians of their rights the marches had to continue. He also said that they were planning to organize a large march (“the million-man march”) on March 30, 2019, the anniversary of the first “return march.”
• It was reported that the next march would be held on January 11, 2019, with the theme “Our stance is firm, lift the siege!” (al-Aqsa TV, January 4, 2019). The Supreme National Authority reported that the 22^nd mini-flotilla, planned for January 7, 2019, would be postponed because of the difficulty of navigating in open waters under current weather conditions (Shehab, January 6, 2019). It was the second week mini-flotilla events were postponed.

Incendiary balloons launched

• On January 6, 2019, a cluster of balloons was located in a field near one of the Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip. The balloons had been launched into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip by a booby-trapped drone. The IED exploded while it was being neutralized. No casualties were reported. Note: during the “return march” events last week incendiary balloons and balloons with IEDs attached were launched into Israeli territory (in one instance a cluster of balloons with an attached IED landed near a kindergarten in one of the communities in the western Negev).

• In response to the launching of the balloons Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked two Hamas posts in the Gaza Strip (IDF spokesman, January 7, 2019). The Palestinian media reported an attack on a “ground control force” post in eastern Gaza City and an observation post of Hamas’ military wing in eastern Khan Yunis. No casualties were reported (Ma’an, January 6, 2019; Safa, January 6, 2019).

• On the night of January 6, 2019, a rocket was launched from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory in the region of the southern Israeli coastal city of Ashqelon. It was intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defense system. No casualties or damage were reported. In response to the rocket fire Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked a number of Hamas terrorist targets in the northern Gaza Strip (IDF spokesman, January 6, 2019). The Palestinian media reported an attack on the “Ashqelon” post of Hamas’ military wing in northwestern Beit Lahia (northern Gaza Strip). No casualties were reported (quds.net, January 7, 2019).

Rocket and Mortar Shell Fire During and Between the Recent Rounds of Escalation^[1]

Monthly Distribution of Rocket and Mortar Shell Fire since January 2018

Annual Distribution of Rocket Hits

Shooting attack

• On January 6, 2019, there was a shooting attack targeting an Israeli bus near Beit El (north of Ramallah). The bus driver was slightly injured by flying glass from the front windshield. The Israeli security forces began a search for suspects (IDF spokesman, January 6, 2019).

    
Shooting attack on Israeli bus near Beit El
(Filastin al-A’an Twitter account, January 5, 2019).

Detention of ‘Assem Barghouti, responsible for the shooting attack at Givat Asaf

• On the night of January 8, 2019, the Israeli security forces detained ‘Assem Barghouti, who was responsible for the shooting attack at Givat Asaf (near Ramallah) on December 13, 2018, in which two IDF soldiers were killed. ‘Assem Barghouti and his brother, Saleh Barghouti (who was killed during an attempt to detain him), carried out the shooting attack at the bus stop in Ofra near Ramallah on December 11, 2018. Seven people were injured and a baby born prematurely died after his mother was wounded.
• ‘Assem Barghouti was detained in the village of Abu Shukhaydam (northwest of Ramallah), in the house of one of his supporters. A Kalashnikov assault rifle, ammunition and night vision goggles were seized (Israel Security Agency website, January 8, 2019). ‘Assem Barghouti was released from an Israeli jail in April 2018 after serving a term of eleven years. Hamas and the residents of the village of Qobar, where he lived, held a mass reception for him after his release (Shehab Facebook page, January 8, 2019).

    
Right: ‘Assem Barghouti (Shehab Facebook page. January 8, 2019). Left: Kalashnikov assault rifle and ammunition seized during the detention of ‘Assem Barghouti (Israel Security Agency website, January 8, 2019).

    
Right: ‘Assem Barghouti at the reception held for him when he was released from jail, April 2018. His green scarf is a Hamas flag (asramedia website, April 4, 2018). Left: Hamas notice announcing the reception (Amama website, April 3, 2019).

Other events on the ground

• Israeli security forces carried out counterterrorism activities throughout Judea and Samaria, detaining several dozen Palestinians suspected of terrorist activity and confiscating weapons. Throughout Judea and Samaria Palestinians continued throwing stones as Israel vehicles. No casualties or damage were reported.
• On January 4, 2019, a pipe bomb was thrown at Israeli security forces near the village of Yabed. No casualties were reported. A similar bomb was thrown at Israeli security forces on January 2, 2019 (IDF spokesman, January 4, 2019)
• On January 7, 2019, a Palestinian advanced towards Border Policemen stationed at the Tapuah Junction in Samaria. They called on him to halt but he continued towards them. They fired shots into the air but he did not halt. They shot and wounded him.

Significant terrorist attacks in Judea and Samaria during the past year^[2]

Delivery of money from Qatar to the Gaza Strip

• The Hezbollah-affiliated al-Mayadeen TV reported that because of the tension in the Gaza Strip and the rocket fire at Israel, Israel froze the third delivery of money from Qatar to the Gaza Strip. Hamas spokesman Abd al-Latif al-Qanua responded strongly, saying that Israel [“the Zionist occupation”] did not give them their rights. He also said that the “return marches” would continue until the “siege” had been broken and that the negotiators had to enforce on Israel the understandings that had been reached and to force it to carry out those that remained (Abd al-Latif al-Qanua’s Twitter account, January 7, 2019). It was also reported that during contacts between Hamas and Egyptian General Intelligence, Hamas threatened that if the money from Qatar did not reach the Gaza Strip by the end of the week, they would gradually return to “activity” [i.e., violence] along the Israeli border, which would peak the following Friday (al-Akhbar, Lebanon, January 8, 2019).

The Rafah Crossing

• The Egyptian authorities reported on the renewal of development activities at the Rafah Crossing to improve the crossing and increase the number of people using it. Egypt is constructing a new terminal for VIP visitors and delegations, and is also planning to construct a passage for commercial vehicles and a large parking space. The Egyptian improvements to the Rafah Crossing are not linked to the internal Palestinian reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah, but are the result of a decision made by the Egyptian government to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip (Safa, January 5, 2019).

The humanitarian situation

• The Gaza Strip electric company announced that electricity was currently being supplied in cycles of eight hours with electricity and eight without. The company reported that the Gaza Strip power plant was currently producing 85 megawatts using three generators. The power lines from Egypt are still inactive (Filastin al-Yawm, January 4, 2019).
• The ministry of health in the Gaza Strip announced it would stop providing services in the coming days because of the fuel crisis, despite the efforts made in hospitals to reduce their consumption of electricity (alresala.net, January 6, 2019).

Increasing Hamas-PA tension

• The tension between Fatah and Hamas in the Gaza Strip recently reached a new high. The tension was caused by the mass detentions of Fatah activists in the Gaza Strip, carried out by Hamas’ security services. According to a Fatah spokesman, since the beginning of the month 1,000 Fatah activists have been detained (Wafa, January 7, 2019). In addition, a group of rioters broke into the offices of the PA television station in the Gaza Strip and an event to mark the founding of Fatah on January 7, 2019, was cancelled.
• Given the recent events and increasing tension between Fatah and Hamas, the Palestinian media reported that the Fatah movement had decided to close its offices in the Gaza Strip and stop all its activity. Fatah spokesman in the Gaza Strip ‘Atef Aby Sayif said that the decision was taken as a matter of caution in view of the attacks on Fatah personnel and the persecution of its senior figures. He said there was deliberate anarchy that influenced Fatah in the Gaza Strip. Abbas Zaki, a member of Fatah’s Central Committee denied Fatah’s offices had been closed (Ma’an, January 7, 2019).

PA personnel evacuated from the Rafah Crossing

• The PA’s authority for civil affairs announced that beginning of January 7, 2019, PA personnel would be evacuated from the Rafah Crossing. Palestinian sources were critical of the decision, claiming it harmed Egyptian efforts to implement the internal Palestinian reconciliation. According to reports, the Palestinian organizations were in contact with the Egyptians to exert pressure on the PA to repeal its decision (Shehab Facebook page, January 7, 2019). The PA personnel evacuated will be replaced by operatives of Hamas’ security forces and officials.
• Hamas condemned the PA’s decision, claiming Mahmoud Abbas continued taking revenge on the residents of the Gaza Strip and thereby implementing the so-called “deal of the century” (Shehab Facebook page, January 6, 2019). Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem claimed the PA decision was a blow to the Egyptian reconciliation efforts (Palinfo Twitter account, January 6, 2019). The Supreme National Authority called on the PA’s crossings authority to reverse its decision b

Offices of the PA television station in Gaza City broken into and vandalized

• On January 4, 2019, a group of masked men broke into the offices of the PA broadcasting authority Palestinian TV in Gaza City. They assaulted workers and destroyed equipment (Wafa, January 4, 2019). Senior PA and Fatah figures condemned the event and accused Hamas of responsibility. Ahmed Assaf, spokesman for the Palestinian information ministry, accused Isma’il Haniyeh and Yahya al-Sinwar of responsibility for the break-in, because by virtue of their weapons they control the Gaza Strip (Wafa, January 4, 2019). Condemnations and demands for an investigation were heard from the entire Palestinian political spectrum. On January 5, 2019, a protest rally was held in front of the broadcasting authority with the participation of Rami Hamdallah, prime minister of the Palestinian national consensus government, and the Fatah leadership (Paldf, January 5, 2019).
• Hamas denied involvement in the event (Dunia al-Watan, January 5, 2019). The ministry of the interior in the Gaza Strip stated that the security forces had investigated the event and according to an analysis of the security camera footage, they had concluded that the men who broke in belonged to Fatah, PA employees whose salaries had recently been discontinued (ministry of the interior website, January 5, 2019). The PA’s Broadcasting Corporation rejected the allegations of the Hamas ministry of the interior, and accused Hamas of responsibility for the break-in (Wafa, January 5, 2019). Fatah spokesman Usama Qawasmeh accused Hamas of direct and indirect responsibility for the break-in (Ma’an, January 5, 2019).

Mahmoud Abbas visits Egypt

• Mahmoud Abbas paid an official visit to Egypt, during which he met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. El-Sisi assured him that the Palestinian cause was still an important part of Egyptian foreign policy, and that Egypt continued to invest efforts for the sake of the Palestinian people and the internal Palestinian reconciliation. Mahmoud Abbas expressed his appreciation for Egypt’s efforts (Wafa, January 5, 2019).
• Mahmoud Abbas held a press conference in Cairo where he said that the Palestinian cause faced many problems and that following the conduct of Israel and the United States, PA-American relations had been cut off. He said the PA intended to reexamine the Oslo Accords and the Paris Protocol, and that might lead to cutting off relations with Israel. Mahmoud Abbas also said that he was 83 years old and no longer had the strength to fight. However, he claimed he did not intend to abandon [the issue of] Jerusalem. He claimed Hamas did not honor its agreements with the PA and threatened that if Hamas continued the PA would stop supporting it (al-Watan, January 4, 2019).

International activity

• Ahmed Majdalani, a member of the PLO’s Executive Committee, gave an interview where he claimed that after five new countries had joined the UN Security Council it might be easier for the PA to get the nine votes it needs to join the UN as a full member state and overcome the American veto (Palestinian TV, January 2, 2019).

Family of terrorist Ashraf Na’alwa thanks the family that hid him

• The family of Palestinian terrorist Ashraf Na’alwa (who carried out a shooting attack in the Barkan industrial zone on October 7, 2018) and the residents of the village of Shuweika (a suburb of Tulkarm) held a parade. to the house of the Bushkar family in the Askar refugee camp in Nablus. The march was held to thank the Bushkar family for hiding Ashraf Na’alwa in their house for 65 days during which the Israeli security forces carried out an extensive search for him (Palinfo Twitter account, January 5, 2019).

    
Right: The march (Shuweika al-Ijtimaiya Facebook page, January 5, 2019). Left: Banner thanking the Bushkar family for hiding Ashraf Na’alwa (Palinfo Twitter account, January 5, 2019).

• ON December 31, 2018, Yacoub Sarraf, the Lebanese defense minister, paid a visit to UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura in south Lebanon, and met with the UNIFIL commander Stefan Del Col. Sarraf later paid a visit to the area where UNIFIL and Lebanese army forces are operating on the Israel-Lebanon border. He noted Lebanon’s commitment to UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and thanked the UNIFIL forces and Lebanese army for their activities on the border during Operation Northern Shield.

    
Right: The Lebanese defense minister on a visit to UNIFIL headquarters. Left: The Lebanese foreign minister on a visit to the region (Yacoub Sarraf’s Twitter account; UNIFIL website, December 31, 2018).

•  Hezbollah does not report on or respond to the events. Ali Shoeib, a correspondent for Hezbollah’s al-Manar and Radio Nur, continues his efforts to make propaganda capital from Hassan Nasrallah’s silence. He tweeted his praise for Hassan Nasrallah’s smile and issued a veiled threat to Israel, saying that “If the cowards on the other side of the fence [i.e., Israelis] understood the significance of the smiles of our beauty [i.e., Hassan Nasrallah]…their hearts would be concerned about the approaching hour!” (Ali Shoeib’s Twitter account, January 2, 2019).
• Meanwhile, in south Lebanon the IDF activities on the other side of the border continue to be monitored.

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Ali Shoeib reports on the IDF’s construction of a security fence in the western sector of south Lebanon (Ali Shoeib’s Twitter account, January 1, 2019).