News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (January 12-18, 2021)

Attempted stabbing attack

• On January 17, 2022, a Palestinian terrorist attempted a stabbing attack at the Gush Etzion Junction. He exited a vehicle driven to the site and, armed with knife, ran towards the bus stop, where civilians and IDF soldiers were standing. He attempted to stab an IDF soldier, who shot and killed him. The vehicle drove away and IDF soldiers gave chase (IDF spokesman, January 17, 2022). The driver later turned himself in and was taken for interrogation.

  According to Palestinian reports the attempted stabber was Falah Musa Shakr Jaradat, 40, married and father of five, from the village of Sa’ir, north of Hebron (Sa’ir Facebook page, January 17, 2022).

   
Right: The knife used in the attempted stabbing attack (IDF spokesman, January 17, 2022). Left: Saleh Jaradat (Sa’ir Facebook page, January 17, 2022).

• Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) praised the attack, adding that Israel would pay for its conduct (Hamas Telegram channel, PIJ Telegram channel, January 17, 2022).
• PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh sent his condolences to the Jaradat family and condemned the [alleged so-called] “executions” of Palestinians carried out by IDF forces. He called on international organizations to intervene immediately to stop the “executions” (Muhammad Shtayyeh’s Facebook page, January 18, 2022). The PA foreign minister also condemned the “execution” of Falah Jaradat, claiming Israel bore all the responsibility for it. The foreign minister also said the silence of the international community regarding Israel’s [alleged] “violations” encouraged their continuance (Wafa, January 17, 2022).

Accusations following Palestinian deaths

• On January 12, 2022, Oman Abd al-Majid Assad, an 80 year-old Palestinian, died after having been detained and later released by IDF forces. He was discovered in a storeroom in a village north of Ramallah. The doctor who found him tried and failed to resuscitate him. The doctor said there were no signs of violence on his body and he most probably died of a heart attack (Reuters, January 13, 2022).
• The death led to a wave of outrage among the Palestinians, who claimed “he had been attacked by an IDF force.” The ministry of health in Ramallah issued a report of the event based on “eye witness statements”. According to the ministry of health, IDF soldiers detained him and “beat him, causing a heart attack.” He was taken to a medical center and from there to a hospital in Ramallah, where he was declared dead (Ma’an, January 12, 2022). Muhammad Shtayyeh condemned his death, claiming he was “abused and murdered” by Israel (Wafa, January 12, 2022). Hamas issued a formal mourning notice for the death of the “Palestinian shaheed” who died at the hands of the “[Israeli] occupation forces.” The PIJ also condemned his death.
• Ned Price, spokesman for the United States Department of State, demanded an investigation of his death, adding Assad was an American citizen (Reuters, January 13, 2022).
• On January 17, 2022, Sheikh Suleiman al-Hazalin, 75, from the region of Yatta, south of Hebron, died. He had been a prominent “popular resistance” [i.e., popular terrorism] figure. Two weeks ago, near his home south of Hebron, he was hit by an Israeli police carrier which had been sent to the area to collect vehicles which were no longer road worthy, and he tried to stop the carrier with his body (Israeli media.) He died ten days later (Palinfo in English, January 17, 2022).
• The PA foreign ministry accused Israel of killing him. According to the foreign minister, he was [deliberately] run over by Israeli forces south of Hebron about two weeks ago. The ministry said it would monitor his “execution” along with the International Criminal Court and the relevant UN agencies (Wafa, January 17, 2022).
•  Muhammad Shtayyeh posted a selection of pictures of the sheikh to his Facebook page, showing him confronting the Israeli security forces. He called al-Hazalin “an icon of the popular resistance” and sent his condolences to the family and village (Muhammad Shtayyeh’s Facebook page, January 17, 2022). Hamas also issued a mourning notice for his death, calling him “the sheikh of the popular resistance” (Hamas website, January 17, 2022).

Rocks, Molotov cocktails and other events

• In Judea and Samaria Palestinians continued throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at Israeli vehicles driving on the roads and at IDF posts. The more prominent events were the following:^[1]
  • January 17, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between Tapuah and Ariel, southwest of Nablus. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • January 17, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle at the Azun Junction, east of Qalqilya. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • January 17, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Luban al-Sharqia, northeast of Ramallah. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • January 16, 2022: Rocks and a Molotov cocktail were thrown at Jewish settlers marching between Homesh and Shavei Shomron, northwest of Nablus. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • January 16, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle in Hawwara, south of Nablus. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  •  January 15, 2022: The synagogue in the Ziv outpost south of Hebron was set on fire with burning tires. Religious books and the Holy Ark, which usually contains the Bible but was empty at the time, were also burned (spokesman for Israel Fire and Rescue Services, Judea and Samaria, January 15, 2022).
  • January 13, 2022: Rocks were throw from Luban al-Sharqia, northeast of Ramallah, at an IDF force securing the Ma’aleh Lavona Junction. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • January 13, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus on the Husan bypass road near the al-Khader Junction, west of Bethlehem. No casualties were reported; the windshield of the vehicle was damaged.
  • January 13, 2022: Molotov cocktails were thrown at Israeli vehicles between Eviatar and Migdalim, south of Nablus. No casualties were reported.
  • January 13, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between Karnei Shomron and Azun, west of Nablus. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • January 12, 2022: Molotov cocktails were thrown at Israeli vehicles on the Jerusalem-Gush Etzion road near the al-Khader Junction. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • January 12, 2022:Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle on the Hebron-Tarqumiya road, southwest of Jerusalem. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • January 12, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle on the trans-Judea road near the Beit Kahil Bridge, west of Hebron. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • January 12, 2022: Molotov cocktails were thrown at an IDF post between Hermesh and Mevo Dotan in northwestern Samaria. Burning tires were placed at the same location. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • January 12, 2022: Molotov cocktails were thrown at an Israeli bus in Hawwara, south of Nablus. No casualties were reported; the bus was damaged.
  • January 11, 2022: A Molotov cocktail was thrown at an IDF post on the trans-Judea road near the Halhul Bridge, north of Hebron. An IDF force identified the Palestinian who threw the Molotov cocktail. The soldiers instituted procedure for detaining a suspect, which included live fire. The Palestinian was wounded in the leg. No IDF casualties were reported.
  • January 11, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Abud, northwest of Ramallah. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • January 11, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle on route 60 near Luban al-Sharqia, northeast of Ramallah. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.

Significant Terrorist Attacks in Judea and Samaria since January 2020^[2]

Confrontations in Sheikh Jarrah

• On January 17, 2022, Israeli police forces tried to evict a Palestinian family from a house in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of east Jerusalem, following an eviction order issued by the municipality. The father and his children mounted the roof with a gas balloon and cans of gasoline and threatened to blow them up. After several hours of negotiations an arrangement was reached and the forces left the site.
• The Palestinian media gave extensive coverage to the incident. The PIJ-affiliated Filastin al-Yawm issued calls to Palestinians in Jerusalem to go to Sheikh Jarrah to support the family (Filastin al-Yawm, January 17, 2022). The PA foreign ministry called for international intervention (Wafa Twitter account, January 17, 2022).

Calls to confront settlers in Judea and Samaria

• Ghassan Daghlas, who holds the Fatah settlements portfolio for the northern West Bank, called on the Palestinian public to go into the streets to oppose the march Jewish settlers plan to hold on January 18, 2022. The march will begin at the Tapuah Junction and end at the Hawwara roadblock, south of Nablus. Given the tension in the regions around the settlements, Daghlas warned the Palestinians that the settlers would attack them (Wafa, January 18, 2022).

   
Right: Palestinians riot in the village of Qadoum, east of Qalqilya (Shehab Twitter account, January 14, 2022). Left: Palestinian riot in the village of Burqa, south of Nablus (Wafa, January 13, 2022).

Rocket and mortar shell fire into Israel

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

Monthly Distribution of Rocket and Mortar Shell Fire since January 2020

Annual Distribution of Rocket Hits

Aid from Qatar

•  Mohammed al-Emadi, chairman of Qatar’s National Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza, said that on January 18, 2022, the Committee would begin distributing financial aid to 97,000 needy Gazan families, $100 per family. The distribution will be carried out by the UN in 300 distribution centers in the Gaza Strip (Qatar’s National Committee Facebook page, January 17, 2022).

   
Despite the harsh weather conditions, deliveries of merchandise from Israel to the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom Crossing continue (Shehab Twitter account, January 16, 2022).

Hamas-Iran relations

• Isma’il Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau, met with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian at the Iranian embassy in Doha, Qatar. The Iranian and Hamas media reported Amir-Abdollahian stressed Iran’s support for the Palestinian “resistance’s” and the Palestinian people’s “legitimate right” to defend themselves against Israel (“the Zionist occupation.”). Haniyeh thanked Amir-Abdollahian for Iran’s support of the Palestinians (Khabar Press, January 11, 2022).

Reactions to the events in the Negev

• On January 12 and 13, 2022, there were disturbances in the Bedouin settlements in the Negev, including in Tel Sheva, Segev Shalom and on the nearby road, given the Jewish National Fund forestation activities in the area. The Palestinians reacted to the disturbances by encouraging the Bedouins to escalate the disturbances. The PIJ said all methods of “resistance” had to be used, especially armed “resistance,” adding that the Palestinians had to unite around the issue of the forestation of the Negev. PIJ spokesman Tareq Abd al-Aziz claimed there was no difference between what occurred in the Negev or Sheikh Jarrah or Bayta when it came to the theft of land (Filastin al-Yawm, January 12, 2022).
• Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the disturbances in the Negev exposed the helplessness of Israel’s colonialist efforts to overcome the Palestinian struggle (Hamas website, January 12, 2022). Hamas spokesman Abd al-Latif al-Qanua praised the Bedouins of the Negev for their firm stance against Israel’s attempts to Judaize their lands and called on Israeli Arabs to support the Bedouins in the struggle (Younews Telegram channel, January 12, 2022). Hussein Abu Kweik, senior Hamas figure in Ramallah, said the land of the Negev was part of “Palestine” and the families in the Negev were part of the Palestinian people and would act everywhere against the “policies of the occupation.” He also claimed Operation Guardian of the Walls had strengthened the connections between the parts of the “homeland” [sic], which frightened Israel and would frighten it more in the future. He said the “occupation” was the same “occupation” in Judea, Samaria, Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and the 1948 territories (al-Aqsa, January 13, 2022).
• Several protest activities were held in the Gaza Strip. The National Association of Palestinian Tribes and Clans in the Gaza Strip organized a demonstration in Gaza City where they held banners and signs denouncing Israel’s “activities against the Bedouins” (Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, January 15, 2022). The al-Tarabin clan in Rafah held a demonstration to show solidarity with their “Bedouin brothers” during which they waved signs reading “Save the Negev” (Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, January 14, 2022).
• The Palestinian media published cartoons supporting the Bedouin “struggle” against Israel with captions like “We won’t leave the Negev,” “Residents of the Negev fight the occupation,” and “The occupied Negev” (Palestinian cartoonists’ Facebook page, January 13, 15 and 16, 2022).

    
Right: Protest rally held by the National Association of Palestinian Tribes and Clans in the Gaza Strip (Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, January 15, 2022). Left: Members of the al-Tarabin clan in Rafah hold a solidarity demonstration (Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, January 14, 2022).

Working conditions in Hamas terrorist tunnels

• The indictment handed down against a Palestinian apprehended by IDF forces after he tried to enter Israel in December 2021 exposed the working conditions of Palestinians who dig terrorist tunnels in the Gaza Strip. According to the defendant he worked digging tunnels for Hamas’ military terrorist wing for three years and participated in digging ten tunnels in the northern Gaza Strip. His job was operating the motorized removal of sand from the tunnels. On occasion he was required to go down into the tunnel and dig in the sand with a spade. He did shift work for four or five days a week and was paid about $12.50 a day (Ynet, January 14, 2022).

Mahmoud Abbas meets with Egyptian President al-Sisi

• During Mahmoud Abbas’ visit to Sharm el-Sheikh for the opening ceremony of the World Youth Forum on January 11, 2022, he met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. According to Mahmoud Abbas’ office, Mahmoud Abbas updated el-Sisi on developments in the Palestinian arena, including Israel’s [alleged] “violations” [sic]against the Palestinians and damage to the sites holy to Islam and Christianity. He thanked el-Sisi for Egypt’s support of the Palestinian cause and for renewing the peace process. They discussed the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip and agreed to coordinate positions and bilateral measures (Wafa, January 11, 2022).

   
Mahmoud Abbas meets with Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (Wafa, January 11, 2022).

• The London based newspaper al-Araby al-Jadeed quoted “Egypt sources” as claiming that Mahmoud Abbas asked el-Sisi for help in opening additional channels of communication between the PA and senior Israeli officials, especially Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid. The “sources” also claimed Mahmoud Abbas thought the positions of various members of the Israeli government be exploited for the sake of the Palestinian cause. Mahmoud Abbas also updated el-Sisi on his meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held on December 28, 2021. According to the “sources,” all the understandings reached at the meeting concerned security and no political progress was made. The Egyptians were displeased because the meeting had taken place without previous coordination with the Egyptian leadership (al-Araby al-Jadeed, January 12, 2022).

Mahmoud Abbas meets in his office in Ramallah with the Greek Orthodox patriarch

• On January 17, 2022, Mahmoud Abbas met in his office in Ramallah with the patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church for the Christmas celebrations in the Eastern churches. The patriarch thanked Mahmoud Abbas for his support in guarding the sites holy to Islam and Christianity, especially for preserving the Christian presence in Jerusalem and the PA territories. He noted the activities of groups of “extremist Jews” against the Christians in Jerusalem whose objective was to evict them from Jerusalem and their lands. The patriarch said the heads of the churches had decided to launch an international campaign to expose the activities of the “Jewish extremists” in Jerusalem. Muhammad Shtayyeh said the PA would continue to support the Palestinians in east Jerusalem and guard the sites holy to Muslims and Christians from the attacks of the “extremist Jewish settlers” (Wafa, January 17, 2022).

Efforts continue to secure the release of terrorist cancer patient prisoner Nasser Abu Hamid

•   Mahmoud Abbas met in his office in Ramallah with Latifa Abu Hamid (Umm Nasser), the mother of terrorist prisoner Nasser Abu Hamid, who is a cancer patient. Mahmoud Abbas updated her on the PA’s efforts to secure her son’s release. She thanked him for his support and for the efforts he was making for her son (Wafa, January 12, 2022).

   
Mahmoud Abbas receives Umm Nasser (Wafa, January 12, 2022).

• As part of efforts to secure his release, Mai al-Kayla, PA minister of health, met with Elise Dubov, head of the Red Cross Delegation in the PA. Also present at the meeting were Qadoura Fares, chairman of the Palestinian prisoners’ club, and representatives from the commission for prisoners and released prisoners affairs. Mai al-Kayla complained to Elise Dubov about Israel’s [alleged] “medical negligence” of the Palestinian prisoners (ministry of health in Ramallah Facebook page, January 11, 2022).

Support for the PA from the Islamic Bank in Jedda

• Muhammad Shtayyeh attended the signing of an agreement with the Islamic Bank in Jedda to finance projects. There are four projects whose total cost is $33 million which are being funded by foundations in the Arab states. The projects include shoring up the infrastructure of local authorities in Judea, Samaria, Gaza Strip and Jerusalem ($26 million); rebuilding, maintaining and preserving structures in the Old City of Hebron ($1 million); developing the infrastructure of the refugee camps ($3.5 million); equipment for the maternity ward in the al-Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip ($2 million). Muhammad Shtayyeh said more funding would be available in the future (Wafa, January 12, 2022).

Reconciliation meeting in Algeria

• A Fatah delegation headed by Azzam al-Ahmed, a member of the PLO’s Executive Committee and Fatah’s Central Committee, arrived in Algeria to participate in an Algerian-initiated meeting to examine the possibility of reaching an internal Palestinian reconciliation. With him arrived Dalal Salama and Muhammad al-Madani, both members of Fatah’s Central Committee, and Fayiz Abu Ita, a member of Fatah’s Revolutionary Council (Sawa, January 15, 2022). Isma’il Haniyeh also received a formal invitation (Sawa, January 15, 2022). Khalil al-Haya, deputy chairman of the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip, and Husam Badran, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, arrived in Algeria as members of the Hamas delegation to the meeting (Hamas Telegram channel, January 18, 2022). Both Fatah and Hamas stressed their support for a reconciliation and their willingness to send delegations to the meeting (al-Ra’i al-Yawm, dan 13, 2022).

Fatah delegation visits Lebanon

• Jibril al-Rajoub, secretary of Fatah’s Central Committee, went from a visit in Syria to Lebanon. He met with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Lebanese army Commander Joseph Aoun. Al-Rajoub and Joseph Aoun discussed the condition of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon (Lebanese army Twitter account, January 12, 2022).

PLO Revolutionary Council meeting

• Members of the political bureaus of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine told the Palestinian media that the meeting of the PLO’s Revolutionary Council might not be held since Fatah had not responded to their demands regarding the meeting, its function and the way the decisions made were implemented. “Sources” revealed that at a meeting of the Fatah delegation, headed by Jibril al-Rajoub, and the Popular Front held in Lebanon, al-Rajoub asked them to support the candidacy of Azzam al-Ahmed for the post of chairman of the Palestinian National Council. The “sources” also revealed that there were disagreements between the organizations regarding who would replace Hanan Ashrawi in the Executive Committee (al-Quds, January 14, 2022).
• Hussein al-Sheikh, a member of Fatah’s Central Committee and PA minister of civilian affairs, said a meeting of the PLO’s Central Council would be held at the beginning of February 2022. He said reports it would be postponed were untrue (Hussein al-Sheikh’s Twitter account, January 17, 2022). The last time the Central Council met was in Ramallah in 2018.

Denials that work stopped in the committees collecting evidence against Israel

• Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki denied reports in the Israeli media stating that the PA had decided to freeze the work of one of the Palestinian committees dealing with the collection of evidence against Israel’s [alleged] commission of “war crimes” in the PA territories and submitting them to the International Criminal Court. He claimed the Palestinian foreign ministry sent monthly reports to the Court and had not stopped or had postponed sending them. He claimed that as long as Israel continued its [alleged] “crimes” they would collect the evidence and send it to the Court (al-Mayadeen, January 16, 2022).

Judea and Samaria

• According to data from the ministry of health in Ramallah, on January 17, 2022, there was a significant increase in the number of active cases, 4,264, up from 2,622 on January 11, 2022. Of the 6,120 tests administered during the 24 hours between January 17 and 18, 680 were positive (about 11%). There were 58 Palestinians in ICUs, 24 of them on ventilators. So far 3,019 Palestinians have died of coronavirus-related causes. (ministry of health in Ramallah Facebook page, January 17, 2022).
• Mai al-Kayla held an online meeting with members of the Palestinian National Epidemiological Committee to discuss coronavirus infection in the PA and Gaza Strip. She said so far about 60% of the target population in the PA and 30% in the Gaza Strip had been vaccinated. There was, she said, no shortage of vaccines. Dr Kamal al-Sheikh, spokesman for the ministry of health in Ramallah, said most of the Palestinian infected with the new variant had not been vaccinated or had been partially vaccinated (ministry of health in Ramallah Facebook page, January 16, 2022).

The Gaza Strip

• On January 18, 2022, the ministry of health in Gaza reported 1,490 active cases in the Gaza Strip, up from 1,241 on January 11, 2022. Of the 1,059 tests administered during the 24 hours between January 17 and 18, 177 new cases were detected, a 17% positive rate. So far 1,731 Gazans have died of coronavirus-related causes, up from 1,726 on January 11, 2022. There are 57 hospitalized Gazans, 44 in serious or critical condition. So far 557,313 Gazans have been vaccinated, up from 552,288 on January 11, 2022 (ministry of health in Gaza Facebook page, January 18, 2022).