News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (January 6 – 12, 2021)

The Gaza Strip

• Dr. Fathi Abu Warda, advisor to the PA minister of health in the Gaza Strip, said that despite the decline in the number of cases the epidemiological situation remains dangerous. He said there was a slight decline in the number of active cases, but relative to the number of tests administered the rate of positive results remains high, reaching 23% (Dunia al-Watan, January 12, 2021).

Judea and Samaria

Acquiring vaccines

• The ministry of health in Ramallah announced it had given emergency permission to bring Russian Covid-19 vaccines into the PA territories. When the vaccines arrive, medical personnel will be inoculated first and after them the chronically ill and the aged. The minister of health said contracts for the supply of vaccines had been signed with four companies (Wafa, January 11, 2021). The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) reported that the PA was the first in the Middle East to order the Russian vaccine. The vaccines are expected to arrive during the first quarter of 2021. The first delivery will arrive during January (RDIF website, January 11, 2021).
• At the weekly government meeting the PA authorized an initial $10.5 million to purchase vaccines. According to reports, the overall cost of the vaccines will be $21 million (Muhammad Shtayyeh’s Facebook page, January 11, 2021).

Rocket and mortar shell fire into Israel

• This past week no rockets or mortar shells were fired into Israeli territory

Monthly Distribution of Rocket and Mortar Shell Fire

Annual Distribution of Rocket Hits

IED balloons launched into Israeli territory

• The Palestinian media reported that on the mornings of January 8 and 9, 2021, IED balloons were launched from the Gaza Strip into the Israeli communities near the border (no balloon landings were reported in Israeli territory). No organization claimed responsibility. Later, a joint announcement was issued by the IED and incendiary balloon-launching units stating that the balloons launched on January 8 and 9 were a message to Israel (“the Zionist enemy”) that they would not agree to the continuation of the “siege” of the Gaza Strip (al-Ayam, January 9, 2021; Amad, January 9, 2021). The Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese newspaper al-Akhbar reported that the balloons were launched as a reminder of the delay in the delivery of Qatar’s donation of dollars to the Gaza Strip. Palestinian sources reported the funds were expected to be delivered to Gaza this week (al-Akhbar, January 11, 2021).

Ramming attack and failed shooting attack targeting IDF forces

•  On January 9, 2021, two Palestinian vehicles drove to a military check post near the village of Ya’bed (west of Jenin). After the first vehicle had been examined the second vehicle, with a Palestinian driver and passenger, sped towards IDF soldiers and rammed into one of them. He was slightly injured and did not need medical attention. An improvised Carlo weapon fell out of the vehicle as one of the Palestinians attempted to use it to shoot at the soldiers. The gun was seized. The vehicle sped away from the scene of the attack (IDF spokesman, January 9, 2021)

Stabbing attack prevented

• On January 5, 2021, a Palestinian went to the Gush Etzion Junction and approached a civilian waiting at the site. The Palestinian roused the suspicions of a security force operative and an IDF soldier who were also at the junction. They called to the Palestinian to halt and fired their weapons in the air. The Palestinian threw a meat cleaver at the security guard, who shot and killed him (IDF spokesman, January 5, 2021).
• The Palestinian media reported that the Palestinian was Ahed Abd al-Rahman Mahmoud Qoqas Akhlil, 24 (or 25), from Bayt Umar (north of Hebron). The Fatah branch in Bayt Umar issued a mourning notice stating that Akhlil had been one of its operatives (Facebook page of the Fatah branch in Bayt Umar, January 5, 2021). Following his death, on January 6, 2021, the Bayt Umar municipality and Fatah branch declared a day of mourning and a general strike (Facebook page of the Fatah branch in Bayt Umar, January 6, 2021).

 
The meat cleaver thrown by Akhil (Rescue Without Borders in Judea and Samaria, January 5, 2021). Left: IDF forces block the entrance to Bayt Umar, where the terrorist lived (Palinfo Twitter account, January 5, 2021).

 
Right: Mourning notice issued by the Fatah branch in Bayt Umar for the death of “the shaheed, the hero” (Facebook page of the Fatah branch in Bayt Umar, January 5, 2021). Left: The mourning tent opened in Bayt Umar. The wall is draped with a Fatah flag and the event took place despite the PA ban on gatherings (Facebook page of KalandiaMC1948, January 6, 2021).

The throwing of stones, Molotov cocktails and other events

• In Judea and Samaria Palestinians continued throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at Israeli vehicles. The more prominent events were the following:^[2]
  • January 11, 2021: Stones and Molotov cocktails were thrown at a bus and other vehicle northeast of Ramallah. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • January 11, 2021: Border Police fighters detained a 17-year-old Palestinian from the al-Aida refugee camp (north of Bethlehem) after the threw a Molotov cocktail at the precinct of the Tomb of Rachel (Border Police spokesman’s unit, January 11, 2021).
  • January 11, 2021: Stones were thrown at a vehicle northeast of Ramallah. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • January 11, 2021: Stones were thrown north of Modi’in Illit. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • January 11, 2021: Stones were thrown at a vehicle southeast of Ariel. No casualties were reported. The vehicle was damaged.
  • January 10, 2021: Stones were thrown at a bus southwest of Bethlehem. No casualties were reported. The bus was damaged.
  • January 10, 2021: Stones were thrown at a bus north of Hebron. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • January 10, 2021: Stones were thrown east of Alfei Menashe. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • January 9, 2021: Stones were thrown south of Nablus. No casualties or damage were reported
  • January 9, 2021: Stones were thrown at a vehicle north of Ramallah. No casualties were reported.
  • January 7, 2021: Stones were thrown at a vehicle southwest of Nablus. The driver, a woman, was slightly injured and continued driving.
  • January 6, 2021: A Molotov cocktail was thrown at a bus on the Hebron-Gush Etzion road. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • January 6, 2021: Stones were thrown at a vehicle east of Hebron. No casualties were reported. The vehicle was damaged.
  • January 6, 2021: Stones were thrown at an IDF ambulance on the trans-Judea highway near Halhul. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • January 6, 2021: Molotov cocktails were thrown at a vehicle north of Modi’in Illit. No casualties were reported. The front windshield of the vehicle was damaged.
  • January 5, 2021: Stones were thrown at vehicles southeast of Ramallah. No casualties were reported. The front windshield of a bus and two other vehicles were damaged.
  • January 5, 2021: Stones and two Molotov cocktails were thrown at a vehicle northeast of Ramallah. No casualties were reported. The front windshield of the vehicle was damaged.
  • January 5, 2021: Molotov cocktails were thrown at a bus north of Hebron. No casualties were reported.
  • January 5, 2021: Stones were thrown at a vehicle north of Hebron. No casualties were reported. The vehicle was damaged.

Significant terrorist attacks in Judea and Samaria since January 2019^[3]

Violent demonstrators break through the security fence east of Qalqilya

•  On January 9, 2021, a march was held in Kafr Thuluth (southeast of Qalqilya) to protest the settlements and the security fence. The march was sponsored by the Fatah branch in Qalqilya, the Authority for the Struggle Against the Fence and the Settlements, and the Popular Resistance Committees. Participants marched from the town center to the security fence gate, waving a Palestinian flag and carrying flysheets condemning the settlements and land seizure. They broke through the security fence gate (Wafa Facebook page, January 9, 2021).

 
Right: Breaking through the gate. Left: The demonstrators burn tires after breaking through the gate (Filastin al-A’an Twitter account, January 9, 2021).

Interview with Usama Hamedan, responsible for Hamas’ foreign relations

• During an interview, Usama Hamedan, responsible for Hamas’ foreign relations, talked about the military might of Hamas and the other organizations in the Gaza Strip. He claimed that 18 months after Bahaa Abu al-Atta, the commander of the northern brigade of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), had been killed by Israel, the “resistance” had regained its strength and was prepared for a confrontation with Israel (al-Manar, January 4, 2021). He said the following:
• Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Qods Force, who died in a targeted killing, had supported the construction of Hamas’ UAVs. He gave Hamas the technical knowledge and professional training. Despite the Iranian assistance, Hamas’ UAVs are different from those manufactured in Iran. The decision to independently manufacture UAVs was “strategic,” in that Hamas was concerned Israel would disrupt its chain of supply.
•  Regarding the missiles in the hands of the [“resistance”] organizations, if in the past the missiles hit the industrial zone south of Tel Aviv, the ones they have now can reach Tel Aviv and even further north. The “resistance” can launch Fajr missiles and manufacture M75s. In addition Israel will discover that the missiles are more precise and have longer ranges [than those previously used].

Hamas reaction to Saudi Arabian reconciliation with the Gulf States and Qatar

• Isma’il Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau, sent a communiqué to King Salman bin Abd al-Aziz of Saudi Arabia, congratulating him on the agreement reached with Qatar to end the crisis in the Gulf.^[4] Haniyeh stressed that Hamas regarded the agreement as an important step in strengthening the cooperation between them for the good of the Palestinian cause.
• It is still unclear what influence the agreement will have on the Palestinians. Hamas sources said the organization hoped it would lead to the release of 62 Palestinians in prison in Saudi Arabia for membership in Hamas, some of them senior organization figures. It was also reported that the Hamas leadership believes Saudi Arabia will support the reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah and the elections expected to be held this year (al-Akhbar, January 9, 2021). Isma’il Haniyeh headed a delegation of senior Hamas figures who met with Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar. He congratulated the emir for having resolved the crisis with the Gulf States and Egypt (Hamas website, January 10, 2021).

Preparations for elections

• Mahmoud Abbas met with Hana Nasser, the chairman of the central elections committee, to discuss holding elections for the PLO, the “presidency” and the Palestinian National Council. Hana Nasser suggested possible voting dates (Wafa, January 9, 2021). After the meeting Hana Nasser held a video conference with members of the election committee in Gaza. He briefed them about his meeting with Mahmoud Abbas, adding that the elections would be held 120 days after a “presidential edict” had been issued (Amad, January 10, 2021).
• Hamas spokesman Taher al-Nunu said they expected the international community, especially European countries and the United States, not to make the same mistake they made “the last time,” and would recognize the results of the election [i.e., even if Hamas won]. He said not recognizing the results could lead to a repeat of the scenario of 14 years ago, when Hamas won the elections but the world did not rush to recognize a government headed by Isma’il Haniyeh (Filastin al-Yawm, January 11, 2021).

   
Right: Mahmoud Abbas meets with Hana Nasser, chairman of the central elections committee (Mahmoud Abbas’ Facebook page, January 9, 2021) Left: Fatah illustration for the general elections (Fateh Voice website, January 8, 2021).

Meeting of foreign ministers in Cairo

• The foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, France and Germany met in Cairo to discuss the Palestinian issue and the peace process. According to the joint declaration issued after the meeting, the ministers had met to promote peace in the Middle East. They welcomed the PA’s decision to renew coordination with Israel. They called the two-state solution vital for regional peace and stressed the role of the United States. They called on Israel and the Palestinians not to take any unilateral action that would undermine a future solution. They called for settlement activity to be stopped and for Israel to stop the actions it was taking in east Jerusalem (Facebook page of the Egyptian foreign ministry, January 11, 2021).

• Riyad al-Maliki, Palestinian foreign minister, welcomed the foreign ministers’ announcement of their commitment to the two-state solution (Wafa, January 12, 2021). Mahmoud al-‘Alul, deputy Fatah chairman, said the Palestinian leadership was prepared to work with the Munich Forum^[5] to revive the peace process with Israel. He said Arab and international efforts were being made to restore the status quo ante and to overcome the “Trump administration’s subversion of the Middle Eastern political scene.” He said restoring the status quo ante was based on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital, the “right of return” of the Palestinian refugees in accordance with international resolutions, and disregarding all the decisions made by the Trump administration (Chinese news agency Xinhua, January 12, 2021).

Damage to Palestinian farmers from PA and Israeli coronavirus restrictions

• An investigative report carried out by the al-Ghad channel examined the recent serious financial damages to Palestinian farmers in northern Samaria. The damages were caused by the restrictions imposed on marketing their produce by the lockdown and the ban on movement between the districts. According to the report, the prices of vegetables plummeted and some farmers preferred to destroy their surpluses (al-Ghad YouTube channel, January 11, 2021). Ahed Zanabit, director of the organization for agricultural rescue in northern Samaria, added that even the lockdown in Israel and closing the cafés and restaurants caused a serious drop in the demand for Palestinian agricultural produce and the piling up of surpluses. He called [on the PA] to assist the farmers, because of the importance of the agricultural sector in the Palestinian economy (al-Hayat al-Jadeeda, January 11, 2021).

 
Right: Surplus agricultural produce in northern Samaria (al-Ghad YouTube channel, January 11, 2021). Left: Destroying surplus produce (al-Hayat al-Jadeeda, January 11, 2021).