News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (March 27– April 2, 2019)

The return march of March 30, 2019

• On Saturday, March 30, 2019, the so-called “million-man march” was held in the Gaza Strip, marking the first anniversary of the return marches and Israeli Arab Land Day. The event was expected to climax the year of marches, and extensive preparations were made for it. Before the events Hamas and the march organizers made efforts to enlist as many participants as possible. The background to the march was a new the escalation in the Gaza Strip caused by rocket fire targeting central Israel; the deployment of large IDF forces near the border; and the Egyptian mediators’ delegation in the Gaza Strip, whose members were present at the return march.
• About 40,000 demonstrators attended the events, far more than the average of recent weeks and similar to the first march and the one held on May 14, 2018 (Nakba Day and the day the United States relocated its embassy to Jerusalem). Senior Hamas figures who were on the ground included Isma’il Haniyeh and Yahya al-Sinwar, who expressed satisfaction with the results. During the events a relatively lower level of violence was demonstrated than at the return marches of the past few weeks. Unlike during previous marches, this time Hamas restrained the demonstrators and deployed hundreds of operatives from its security forces. They wore orange vests and kept the demonstrators at a distance from the border fence, preventing them from clashing with IDF soldiers or crossing the border into Israeli territory.^[1] Members of the Egyptian security mediators’ delegation were present at the march events and they may have contributed a moderating influence.^[2]

    
(Palinfo Twitter account, March 31, 2019). Left: Palestinian rioters, one of them waving an axe, near the security fence in the eastern Gaza Strip (Shehab Facebook page, March 30, 2019).

• Isma’il Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau, praised the participants in the return march events, saying that the participation of the Palestinian people showed its determination to realize the [so-called] “right of return.” He also said that the Gaza Strip would be victorious for Jerusalem and all Palestine. He added that the Gaza Strip was growing stronger, not only to defend itself, but also to defend the Temple Mount and the security prisoners, who were attacked by Israel (Hamas website, March 30, 2019).

Contacts for a lull continue

• After the march, efforts continued to mediate between Israel and Hamas to complete the talks for an arrangement. On April 1, 2019, Nikolay Mladenov, the UN envoy to the Middle East, entered the Gaza Strip. He met with Isma’il Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau, and other senior Hamas figures. A source present at the meeting said Isma’il Haniyeh raised several matters, among them the issue of the prisoners, and asked Mladenov to intervene to prevent the [so-called] worsening of the conditions in the prisons in Israel. Haniyeh also warned that the issue of the phones could be a significant factor causing the situation to explode (Shehab, April 1, 2019). Mladenov left the Gaza Strip after a few hours, passing through the Erez Crossing (Amama, alresala.net, April 1, 2019).
• The Egyptian delegation is expected to return to the Gaza Strip in the coming days (al-Akhbar, April 1, 2019). As part of the contacts for an arrangement, on April 1, 2019, Israel announced the opening of the fishing zone off the Gaza Strip, which had been closed since a rocket hit a house north of Tel Aviv. Israel also announced the extension of the border of the fishing zone from six nautical miles to 12 nautical miles in the central Gaza Strip and 15 in the southern Gaza Strip (Haaretz, April 1, 2019).

    
Right: Palestinians boast of number of fish caught after the fishing zone was increased (Hassan Islih’s Facebook page, April 2, 2019). Left: Cartoon by Gazan Alaa’ al-Laqta, from the official Fatah Facebook page, mocks Hamas for the understandings reached with Israel. It calls them “the ceasefire of the fish that were consumed.” It is a play on words in Arabic of the Hamas name for Operation Protective Edge (2014 (official Fatah Facebook page, April 2, 2019).

• The following are statements from a number of senior Hamas figures about contacts for the arrangement:
  • Suheil al Hindi, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, said that the Egyptian delegation was expected to report to Hamas on Israel’s response to the demands of the Palestinian organizations. He also said that if Israel committed itself to the understandings Hamas would also commit itself to them. However, if Israel does not commit itself, there are many measures Hamas and the “resistance” can take (Dunia al-Watan, March 31, 2019).
  • Hamas spokesman Abd al-Latif al-Qanua said Hamas expected the Egyptian delegation to provide a schedule and clear programs from Israel for implementing the understandings that were reached. He claimed the measures easing the situation in the Gaza Strip were the direct result of the return marches and the stance of the “resistance” against the rounds of escalation with Israel (Safa, March 31, 2019). He added that Hamas and the other Palestinian organizations were determined to enforce the understandings on Israel and that Israel was now facing “a real test” (Abd al-Latif al-Qanua’s Facebook page, March 31, 2019; al-Hadath, April 1, 2019).
  • Hamas spokesman Husam Badran said he was not surprised that Israel did not abide by the agreements, and that it was now facing a test. He claimed that in the coming days further meetings would be held with the members of the Egyptian delegation regarding the understandings and that documents would be provided about the understandings dealing with the everyday lives of the residents of the Gaza Strip: electricity, salaries, employment projects and increasing the fishing range. He also said that Qatar was cooperating with the international community so that support would reach the residents of the Gaza Strip without Hamas intervention (Dunia al-Watan, March 31, 2019).
  • Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) spokesman Musab al-Brim said the PIJ and other “resistance” organizations had agreed to give priority to the success of the Egyptians’ role, based on the cessation of the “acts of aggression” against the Palestinian and the maturing of solutions for crises. However, he stressed the importance of the “resistance,” its role and preparedness to defend the Palestinians (al-Hadath, April 1, 2019).
  • Muhammad al Hindi, a member of the PIJ’s political bureau, who is not currently in the Gaza Strip, said the organizations would learn the lessons of the events before they determined the next steps in formulating understandings. He said the Egyptians had to talk to Israel about the [alleged] violations of its commitments and harming the demonstrators. He added that no discussion had been held about building a port, but only about issues related to the daily life of the residents, such as extending the fishing zone, electricity, constructing desalination plants and the crossings. He claimed the organizations had promised Egypt they would stop using harsh measures in return for the lifting of the siege (i.e., they would stop the activities of the Night Harassment Units and the launching of IED balloons) (al-Mayadeen, March 30, 2019).

Launchings of IED balloons

• During the days before the return march, with the mediation of the Egyptian delegation in the background, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip continued launching IED balloons, and the activities of the Night Harassment Units continued near the security fence. On the night of March 26, 2019, IED balloons were launched into Israeli territory and a camouflage net at an IDF post was set on fire (IDF spokesman, March 26 and 27, 2019). On March 28, 2019, a cluster of balloons was located in the western Negev attached to a suspicious object. Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked a squad launching incendiary balloons in the northern Gaza Strip (IDF spokesman, March 28, 2019). The Palestinian media reported that unmanned aerial vehicles attacked a group of youths east of the Jabalia refugee camp (Shabakat Quds Twitter account, March 28, 2019). The ministry of health in the Gaza Strip reported three Palestinians were slightly wounded in the attack (Shabakat Quds, March 28, 2019).
• The violent events peaked on the night of March 29, 2019, when hundreds of hand grenades and IEDs were thrown at the security fence and loud explosions were heard. In response to the night activity an IDF tank attacked a Hamas military post in the negotiations (IDF spokesman, March 29, 2019). The Palestinian media reported that Israeli artillery forces attacked a post of the Hamas restraint force east of Gaza City (Shehab, March 29, 2019) and an observation post in the northern Gaza Strip (Shabakat Quds, March 29, 2019). After the events of Friday, March 29, 2019, the activities of the Night Harassment Units stopped but the launching of IED balloons continued.

Rocket and mortar shell fire

• During the past week seven rockets/mortar shells were fired at Israel. Another mortar shell was fired but fell inside the Gaza Strip. Red Alert sirens were sounded twice but they were false alarms. No casualties were reported.
• The following were the events:
  • On the night of March 30, 2019 five rockets were launched at the western Negev. They fell in open areas. No casualties or damage were reported. In response IDF tanks shot at Hamas observation posts near the security fence (IDF spokesman, Ynet, March 31, 2019). The Palestinian media reported hits on a position of the restraint force and four observation posts east of Deir al-Balah and of Gaza City (Shabakat Quds, Dunia al-Watan, March 31, 2019).
  • On March 27, 2019 a rocket launch was identified from the Gaza Strip into Israel. It was intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defense system near the southern Israeli city of Ashqelon (IDF spokesman, March 27, 2019). In response Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked targets in the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian media reported an attack on the port of Khan Yunis, an observation post and a number of posts in eastern Rafah (Shabakat Quds, Dunia al-Watan, March 27, 2019).
  • On the night of March 26, 2019 a rocket launch was identified from the Gaza Strip targeting the western Negev. The rocket fell in an open area. No casualties or damage were reported. In response Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked a number of terrorist targets in the southern Gaza Strip, among them a Hamas military compound and facility for the manufacture of weapons in Khan Yunis, and a Hamas military site in Rafah (IDF spokesman, March 26, 2019).
• On March 28, 2019 Red Alert sirens were sounded in the western Negev. Examination indicated a false alarm (IDF spokesman, March 28, 2019). On the evening of March 31, 2019 a mortar shell was launched at Israel. It fell inside the Gaza Strip. On April 2, 2019 Red Alert sirens were sounded in the western Negev. Examination indicated a false alarm (IDF spokesman, April 2, 2019).

Monthly Distribution of Rocket and Mortar Shell Fire since January 2018

Annual Distribution of Rocket Hits

Violent events on the ground

• Palestinians continued throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at Israeli security forces and civilian targets. Israeli security forces carried out counterterrorism activities throughout Judea and Samaria, detaining Palestinians suspected of terrorist activity, and seizing military grade and improvised weapons. The more prominent events were the following:
  • April 2, 2019 – Stones were thrown at a vehicle in western Tekoa (northeast of Hebron). No casualties were reported. The front windshield of the vehicle was damaged (United Hatzalah, April 2, 2019)
  • April 2, 2019 – During an Israeli security force activity in the village of Aqab (north of Jerusalem) Palestinians rioted and threw IEDs at the forces. A Palestinian was wounded by gunfire (IDF spokesman, April 2, 2019). The Palestinians reported the death of Muhammad Ali Dir Adwan, 23, from the village of Aqab (QudsN Facebook page, April 2, 2019).
  • April 2, 2019 – During searches carried out by Israeli security forces in Bayt Umar (northwest of Hebron) the forces seized a locally manufactured Carlo submachine gun (IDF spokesman, April 2, 2019).
  • April 1, 2019 – During an Israeli security force activity in the village of Anata (northeast of Jerusalem) a lathe was seized, used for the manufacture of weapons, among other things (IDF spokesman, April 1, 2019).
  • April 1, 2019 – During Israeli security force counterterrorism activities in Jenin, stones and a pipe bomb were thrown at the forces. No casualties or damage were reported (IDF spokesman, April 1, 2019).
  • April 1, 2019 – Stones were thrown at a Israel bus in the region of Hizma (near Pisgat Ze’ev in Jerusalem). No casualties were reported. The windshield of the bus was damaged (Rescue Without Borders in Judea and Samaria, April 1, 2019).
  • March 31, 2019 – Stones were thrown at an Israel bus on the Gush Etzion-Hebron road, between Bayt Umar and the Karmei Tzur Junction. No casualties were reported. The bus was damaged (Rescue Without Borders, March 31, 2019).
  • March 30, 2019 – Molotov cocktails were thrown at a vehicle near Azoun (east of Qalqilya). No casualties were reported. The vehicle was damaged (Rescue Without Borders in Judea and Samaria, March 30, 2019)
  • March 29, 2019 – Stones were thrown at a security vehicle and at civilian vehicles in Silwan (east Jerusalem). The police detained three underage suspects (Jerusalem Police spokesperson’s unit, March 29, 2019).
  • March 27, 2019 – During a riot at the Beit El roadblock at the northern entrance to al-Bireh, a Molotov cocktail was thrown at an IDF jeep (Palinfo Twitter account, March 27, 2019).

Significant terrorist attacks in Judea and Samaria since July 2017^[3]

Transferring support to the Gaza Strip

• Sources with access to the negotiations for lifting the “siege” of the Gaza Strip reported that there were promises to extend the Qatari grants to the end of the year. It was also reported that if the grant is not extended, there is an Israeli agreement in place to send fuel to the Gaza Strip power plant without taxation (alresala.net, March 28, 2019). The British government announced it would donate $2.6 million to hospitals in the Gaza Strip by providing medicines and for the needs of patients (Wafa, March 28, 2019). Muhammad al-Hasainah, minister of housing and public works in the Palestinian Authority (PA), announced the transfer of $2 million for infrastructure projects as part of the Kuwaiti grant for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip (Filastin al-Yawm, April 1, 2019).

Meeting of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) representatives in Lebanon

• Ziyad al-Nakhalah, PIJ secretary general, met in Beirut with Saleh al-‘Arouri, deputy head of Hamas’ political bureau. The meeting was held before the return march in the Gaza Strip. Both sides stressed the need to coordinate the steps to be taken against any acts of “aggression” against the return marches. They also stressed that any acts of acts of aggression against “the million-man march of land and return” would be met with a response commensurate with the extent of the aggression (PIJ website, March 30, 2019, Hamas website, March 30, 2019).

    
Meeting of Hamas and PIJ representatives in Lebanon: accompanying Saleh al-‘Arouri (center) are senior Hamas figure Usama Hamdan; Ali Barake, a member of Hamas’ bureau of Islamic and Arab relations and former Hamas representative in Lebanon; and Ahmed Abd al-Hadi, current Hamas representative in Lebanon. Next to Ziyad al-Nakhalah are Muhammad al-Hindi and Abu al-Sayid al-Minawi, members of the PIJ’s political bureau (PIJ website, March 30, 2019).

Interview with Saleh al-‘Arouri

• Saleh al-‘Arouri, deputy head of Hamas’ political bureau, was interviewed by al-Mayadeen TV in Lebanon. He related to a number of issues, especially Hamas’ relations with the PIJ, Hezbollah, Iran and Syria:
  • Relations with the PIJ: Saleh al-‘Arouri said as a “resistance movement” Hamas believes in uniting the largest number of those in favor of “resistance” to the [Israeli] “occupation.” Thus their hand is extended to any one who also believes in resistance to the occupation. He said that to strengthen the closing of their ranks, Hamas is in contact with all the Palestinian forces, even those with whom it has differences of opinion.
  • Relations with “the brothers in Hezbollah:” Relations with Hezbollah, he said, have “strategic significance.” Hezbollah has a long, very admired history of resistance to Israel, as well as achievements and victories. Hezbollah’s support for the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian resistance movements is “respected and admirable,” and also has practical aspects. He said they occasionally met with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was aware of the Palestinian interests, the rights of the Palestinian people and the resistance to the Zionist program. His awareness, claimed Saleh al-‘Arouri, was deep and genuine, and his positions were practical and not merely theoretical.
  • Relations with Iran: Iran’s position on the Palestinian cause and the rights of the Palestinian people has not changed since the Islamic Revolution. Iran’s practical support for the Palestinian cause is aligned with its fundamental positions, and therefore Hamas makes effort to strengthen the connection with Iran, and its practical results can be seen.
  • Relations with Syria: According to Saleh al-‘Arouri, Hamas believes that Syria’s influence cannot be ignored. That is because of its size, importance, history and positions regarding the Palestinian cause. As to Hamas’ relations with Syria, he said he hoped the relations would be renewed in a way that would serve the Palestinian cause (al-Mayadeen News YouTube news channel, March 30, 2019).

Arab League summit meeting deals with the Palestinian issue

• On March 31, 2019, the 30^th Arab League summit meeting was held in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. Present were leaders and senior representatives from the Arab world. The main topic for discussion was the Palestinian issue. The summary announcement of the meeting stressed that the Palestinian issue should be put at the top of the priority list of the Arab world. It was also decided that the countries present at the meeting would provide financial support for the Palestinian budget.

     
Right: Mahmoud Abbas speaking at the Arab League summit in Tunis (Mahmoud Abbas’ Facebook page, March 31, 2019). Left: The Arab League summit in Tunis (Mahmoud Abbas’ Facebook page, March 31, 2019).

• Mahmoud Abbas gave a speech in which he related to a number of issues, among them the following:
  • Jerusalem and the holy sites: Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of employing arbitrary policies against Jerusalem, of an attempt to change the religious nature of the city and of harming the residents. He claimed there were many “raids on” of al-Aqsa mosque and that Israel was trying to harm Muslim freedom of worship.
  • American foreign policy: Mahmoud Abbas criticized American foreign policy, which he claimed removed the issues of the settlements, the refugees and UNRWA from the negotiating table. He also warned that the United States was encouraging Israel to annex the West Bank and recognize the Gaza Strip as a state under Hamas sovereignty.
  • Israel’s activities: Regarding the deduction of revenues collected by Israel, Mahmoud Abbas said Israel was in violation of previous agreements. Therefore, he said, the PA refused to accept the funds from Israel as long as money was being deducted. He also warned Israel not to attempt to relocate other embassies to Jerusalem.
  • On the sidelines of the meeting King Abdallah of Jordan met with Mahmoud Abbas. Abdallah stressed the Hashemite protection of Jerusalem and said the international community should take responsibility, in view of the escalation caused by Israel (Wafa, March 31, 2019).

Security prisoners’ crisis

• The crisis of the terrorist prisoners in Israel continues, mainly because of the intention of the Prison Service to install devices that will block the use of cellular phones smuggled into the prisons. The decision was made following information that terrorist attacks had recently been carried out following instructions from by prisoners using their cell phones (Israeli media, March 31, 2019). Qadoura Fares, chairman of the Palestinian prisoners’ club, said that in response the prisoners would begin an unlimited hunger strike (al-Quds al-Arabi, March 28, 2019).
• Senior Hamas figures brought the issue of the prisoners before the Egyptian security mediators’ delegation and before Nikolay Mladenov, the UN envoy to the Middle East. Isma’il Haniyeh asked Mladenov to intervene and reverse the decision worsening the prisoners’ conditions. He also threatened that the issue [of the prisoners] could be an important factor in bringing about an explosion in the situation (Shehab, April 1, 2019). Baha’ al-Madhoun, Hamas’ deputy minister prisoners’ affairs, said that since Israel continued harming prisoners, the PA should take a number of steps with international organizations. He also called on the “resistance” [i.e., the terrorist organizations] to use its bargaining chips to protect the prisoners and to bring about their release (al-Aqsa, April 1, 2019).
• Hamas spokesman Abd al-Latif al-Qanua said the organizations had sent a message to the Egyptian delegation about the need to stop the Israeli “escalation” against the prisoners, to cancel their punishments and to return to the status quo ante. If not, he threatened, Israel would bear the responsibility for the escalation against the prisoners (al-Hadath, April 1, 2019).

Paying PA salaries

• The PA’s ministry of the treasury and planning announced that following instructions from Mahmoud Abbas, on April 2, 2019 salaries for March 2019 would be paid in full to prisoners, released prisoners and the families of shaheeds and wounded Palestinians. Fifty percent of salaries for officials in the public sector would be paid, but not less than 2000 shekels (about $550) for every official, and 10,000 shekels (about $2,750) for ministers, judges and diplomats (Wafa, April 1, 2019).

Commemorating terrorists

• On March 27, 2019, a memorial was completed for Omar Abu Layla, who carried out the terrorist attack in Ariel, killing two Israelis. The memorial was erected in the village of Abwein (Ramallah area), across from the house where Abu Layla was killed during an exchange of fire with IDF forces (Facebook page of the Fatah movement in the village of Abwein, March 27, 2019). The memorial is headed by the Fatah logo. That was in addition to naming the main street in the village of Burqin for Abu Layla because he passed through it on his way to carry out the terrorist attack. A street was also named for him in Abwein.