News of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Transcription

1 Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center Israel Intelligence Heritage and Commemoration Cente News of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict September 24, 2008 Scene of the terrorist attack in the center of Jerusalem (Boaz Ratner for Reuters, September 22). Overview The focus of this week s events was another terrorist attack in Jerusalem carried out by a Palestinian using a vehicle. It occurred on the night of September 22. The terrorist was a resident of East Jerusalem, who sped a main street in Jerusalem in a car and rammed into a group of soldiers; he was shot and killed by an IDF officer. Seventeen Israelis were wounded, 14 of them soldiers, most of them not seriously. It was the fourth mass-casualty terrorist attack in the past six months (three using vehicles) carried out in Jerusalem by an East Jerusalem resident. The lull arrangement in the Gaza Strip was violated again when two mortar shells were fired to the north of the Karni crossing. The crossings, closed last week in response to rocket fire into Israel, were reopened on September 17. No progress was made in negotiations for the release of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. In Judea and Samaria there was another attempt to infiltrate the settlement of Yizhar and acid was thrown at an IDF soldier at the Hawara crossing near Nablus. The acid-thrower was a female student who carried out a similar attack on September 10. Throughout Judea and Samaria there was an increase in the number of Molotov cocktails, bombs and stones thrown at Israeli vehicles.

2 2 Important Events The Gaza Strip This past week there was one violation of the lull arrangement, which occurred on September 21 when two mortar shells were fired. They both fell inside the Gaza Strip, north of the Karni crossing Jerusalem Another mass-casualty attack in Jerusalem using a car The BMW used by the terrorist to run over Israelis in the center of Jerusalem (Boaz Ratner for Reuters, September 22). On September 23, close to 23:00 (11 p.m.), a Palestinian terrorist, resident of East Jerusalem, took a black BMV to the center of the city and drove along a main street. He then sped up onto the pavement straight into a group of Israeli soldiers visiting the city. He then hit pedestrians in a local square, after which he drove into a wall. Seventeen Israelis were injured in the attack, 14 of them soldiers. Most of the injuries were not serious. An IDF officer who was with the group shot and killed the Palestinian terrorist. The site of the attack The Old City.

3 3 The terrorist, Qassem Mugrabi, was a Palestinian resident of Jebel Mukaber, a southeastern section of Jerusalem (the same neighborhood the terrorist who carried out the masscasualty attack at the Merkaz Harav Yeshiva on March 6, 2008, came from). It was the fourth such attack in Jerusalem in the last half year (and the third involving a vehicle) carried out by a resident of East Jerusalem: July 22 Ghassan Abu Tayir, a resident of Um Tuba (southeast Jerusalem), took a construction vehicle from a building site near the Yemin Moshe section of the city. He drove it at high speed along main streets, plowing into a number of vehicles on the way. After 250 meters (about 275 yards) a Border Police officer shot and killed him. Twenty-eight Israelis were wounded, one of them seriously. July 2 Hussam Dawiyat, a resident of Sur Bahr (southeast Jerusalem), took a front loader from a building site and drove it rapidly along main streets, ramming everything in his path. Three Israelis were killed and at least 40 wounded, most of them not seriously. A security guard and an off-duty soldier shot and killed him. March 6 Allah Abu Dheim, a resident of Jebel Mukaber (southeast Jerusalem), used an assault rifle to massacre students at the Merkaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem. He murdered eight yeshiva students and wounded ten, three of them critically and one seriously. During a security consultation after the attack, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said legal action was necessary to make it possible to drastically reduce the amount of time between terrorist attacks and the razing of the terrorist houses; that, he said, would deter potential terrorists (Defense Ministry announcement, September 22). Judea and Samaria Another terrorist attack at Yizhar prevented During the early morning hours of September 20, soldiers in an IDF observation post saw a figure coming from one of the neighboring villages toward the settlement of Yizhar (south of Nablus). He tossed a Molotov cocktail at the IDF and Border Police force. In response the force shot and killed him. An examination of the body revealed a knife. The terrorist photographed as he approached the IDF post (IDF Spokesman, September 20).

4 4 It was the second such incident in the past month. On September 13 a Palestinian terrorist infiltrated the settlement and set fire to a building and stabbed a nine-year old child. An network calling itself The Battalions of the National Resistance of the Democratic Front claimed responsibility for the attempted attack in Yizhar. According to their announcement, the terrorist was Sahib Yasser, brother of Ahmed Yasser, who carried out the attack at Yizhar the previous week. It called the action a response to the Israeli occupation s attacks and continuing attacks of the settlers against local Palestinian residents (Palestinian websites, September 20). Acid again thrown at an IDF soldier On September 22 an IDF soldier was seriously wounded by acid thrown at him by a female Palestinian terrorist at the Hawara crossing near Nablus. The terrorist, who went through the lane reserved for urgent humanitarian cases, was detained by security forces. Initial investigation revealed that she was the same terrorist who had thrown acid at an Israeli soldier on September 10, also at the Hawara crossing (IDF Spokesman s website, September 22). The soldier s eye was severely burned and he underwent an operation in an attempt to save his sight (Ynet, September 23). According to Nablus s local television station, the terrorist was a 19-year old student in her second year of law school at Al-Najah University, which has been a breeding ground for terrorists throughout the Palestinian terrorist campaign against Israel. Her father own Nablus s Al-Sanabil Television, a local station affiliated with Fatah (Nablus Television website, September 22). Increase in the number of Molotov cocktails, bombs and stones thrown in Judea and Samaria There has recently been an increase in the number of such attacks in Judea and Samaria: September 22 A Border Policeman was slightly wounded by stones thrown at him during an IDF and Border Police activity in the village of Ni lin, west of Ramallah. A riot broke out during which stones were thrown at the force, which employed riot control equipment to disperse the crowd. Two wanted Palestinians were detained. September 21 A Molotov cocktail was thrown at an Israeli bus near Husan, west of Bethlehem. That evening stones were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Huwwara, south of Nablus. No one was injured but the vehicle was damaged.

5 5 September 20 During the evening an IED was thrown on the road near the village of Beit Fajjar, south of Bethlehem. Molotov cocktails and stones were thrown at the IDF forces searching the area. Four stone-throwers were detained. September 19 Stones were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near the village of Bani Naim, east of Hebron. No one was injured and no damage was done to the vehicle. Near the village of Ni lin, west of Ramallah, three IDF soldiers were slightly wounded by stones thrown during a riot in which Palestinians, Israeli citizens and foreign nationals participated. An IDF force used riot-control equipment to disperse the crowd. September 18 Throughout the day there were a number of instances of stones thrown at Israeli vehicles, south of Ramallah, south of Nablus and east of Nablus. No one was injured and the vehicles were not damaged. That evening stones were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near the Jewish settlement in Hebron. In one case Molotov cocktails and rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle south of Qalqilya. No one was injured but one of the vehicles was damaged. September 16 Two Israeli civilians were slightly wounded near the village of Madama, south of Nablus, in two separate rock-throwing instances. In addition, rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle southwest of Hebron. Counterterrorism Activities The border between Israel, Egypt and the Gaza Strip On September 20 an IDF force saw three suspicious figures crossing the Israeli-Egyptian border. The soldiers shot at them, wounding one of them, who later died of his wounds. The other two fled back into Egyptian territory. An examination of the area revealed night-vision equipment and a pair of binoculars (IDF Spokesman s website, September 20). On September 20 an IDF force identified an IED close to the security fence in the central Gaza Strip. It was detonated in a controlled explosion, and was apparently old. The Lull Arrangement Update The Gaza Strip crossings On September 15 and 16 the crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip were closed in response to rocket fire into Israel on September 14. On September 17 the crossings were reopened and routine activity was resumed.

6 6 Hamas has tried to preserve what it considers the achievements of the lull arrangement, particularly Israel s opening of the crossings. The criticism voiced by the other terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip led senior Hamas figure Mahmoud al-zahar to state: saying that the blockade is getting worse is untrue. I am not defending Israel, but merchandise has entered [the Gaza Strip] and salaries have been paid to every worker in Gaza What comes in is not enough [but] the situation is much better than what it was before the lull (Ramattan News Agency, September 19). The Rafah crossing opens; Hamas issues harsh criticism of Egypt On September 20 the Rafah crossing opened for two days. It operated normally on the 20 th but was closed by the Egyptians the following day a few hours after it was opened, apparently for bureaucratic reasons. According to the Egyptian Middle East New Agency, a total of 3,222 Palestinians crossed the border, 2,767 of them leaving the Gaza Strip for Egypt and 565 of them entering it. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum expressed dissatisfaction with the closing of the crossing on September 21 (a few hours after it opened), saying it was a swindle of the Palestinians and a provocation. He also demanded that Egypt investigate the reasons behind the humanitarian crime. He said that a Hamas delegation which would soon leave for Egypt would discuss the issue with the Egyptian leadership (Al-Aqsa TV, September 22). Palestinians going though the Rafah crossing on September 20 (Ramattan News Agency, September 20). Hamas and Gilad Shalit On September 19 Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported that on September 18 Israel provided Egypt with the names of 450 prisoners it was willing to release in return for Gilad Shalit. A source within Hamas related to the Israeli offer, saying that Hamas was sticking to its demand to release 450 prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment and long terms, of its own choosing. Hamas also

7 7 demanded the release of imprisoned women, children and ailing Palestinians and of the Hamas delegates Israel detained after Shalit was abducted. Musa Abu Marzuq, deputy head of Hamas s political bureau, said that all discussions regarding the prisoner release deal had been frozen. He added that Hamas insisted on receiving all those whose release it had demanded, all the women and children from the Israeli prisons (Al- Jazeera TV, September 20). Mahmoud al-zahar claimed that before Hamas took over the Gaza Strip, Israel had agreed to release 1000 prisoners and another 450 when Shalit was released. He added that if its policy is to renege on an agreement, then we [too] will cancel and begin the deal anew with the names and number we want (Ramattan News Agency, September 19). The Internal Palestinian Arena The internal Palestinian dialogue in Egypt A delegation of the various Palestinian terrorist organizations recently arrived in Egypt to prepare for an internal Palestinian dialogue. A Fatah delegation headed by Nabil Shaath arrived in Cairo and was supposed to meet with Omar Suleiman, head of Egyptian General Intelligence, on September 22. Hamas spokesman Ismail Radwan said that Hamas had received an official invitation to a dialogue with high-ranking Egyptians. The Hamas delegation will be headed by Musa Abu Marzuq and leave for Cairo on October 7 for a meeting with Omar Suleiman on October 8 (Al-Quds, September 17). Commander of Palestinian national security interviewed by Haaretz General Dhiab al-ali, commander of national security in the West Bank, senior Fatah figure and close to Abu Mazen, was interviewed by Haaretz correspondent Avi Issacharoff on September 21. The main points discussed were the following: A threat [in our assessment empty] that the Palestinian Authority will take over the Gaza Strip by force: He said that the PA had not ruled out the use of force to take the Gaza Strip from Hamas if the organization did not willingly give up its control over the Gaza Strip. Such a move would require the agreement Israel, Egypt and Jordan, adding that no consultations with Israel had yet been undertaken. Hamas does not threaten the PA control over the West Bank: He said that Israel greatly exaggerated the strength of Hamas in the West Bank. Hamas doesn't have the power to pose a real challenge to the PA in the West Bank, he said. He added that if the IDF left the PA territories, the Palestinian security services would accept full responsibility for

8 8 every place in the West Bank. However, in such a case Palestinian military forces would have to be increased by 15,000 soldiers (according to other versions, the forces would have to be increased to 15,000). Improving the quality of the national security services: According to Dhiab al-ali, since he was appointed to his post a year and a half ago, 90% of the officers have been replaced by younger men. At the same time, he said, the officers are undergoing training and attending courses in Jericho, supervised by Americans. The soldiers attend courses in Jericho and Jordan. So far two battalions have been trained, and a third began last week, 1 with a fourth planned. PA and Israeli activity to calm the situation on the ground: Dhiab al-ali claims to command 7,500 soldiers operating against anyone who uses a weapon, whether a member of Hamas or other organization or a criminal. As a result, he said, there is quiet, thanks to the Israeli-PA cooperation. He said that There is [security] cooperation with Israel. We prevented dozens of terror attacks just this year 2 He revealed that last week the PA had detained two Hamas operatives whom Israel had tried to trap (See below). Salah Bardawil, a Hamas member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, strongly denounced the remarks made by al-ali in the Haaretz interview. He said it showed the PA was trying to sabotage the internal Palestinian dialogue and promote American interests. He claimed that al-ali s remarks had given the green light to the return of chaos in the Gaza Strip (Filastin al-yawm, September 21). PA security activity against Hamas continues in Judea and Samaria This past week the PA s security services continued their intensive activities against Hamas operatives and institutions in Judea and Samaria. On September 17 the Palestinian media announced that in Hebron Palestinian general intelligence had detained a number of Hamas operatives involved in the suicide bombing attack in Dimona on February 4, Among those detained were two senior Hamas operatives in Hebron and the brother of Muhammad al-harbawi, who carried out the Dimona suicide bombing attack (PalMedia website, 1 On September 18 a 500-man national security brigade left for Jordan for training that will last four months. Yehya Mussa, a Hamas parliament member, denounced the move and said that its objective was to destroy the Hamas movement. He added that the PA was being operated by Israel and the United States against the Palestinian people and its interests (Al-Biyan Center website, September 20). 2 That is an exaggeration regarding the quiet theoretically achieved in the PA (See the section on Important Events). 3 A Dimona woman was killed in the attack and a number of residents were wounded. The suicide bomber, who came to the city from Hebron, belonged to Hamas. For further information see our February 5, 2008 Bulletin entitled Suicide bombing attack in the Dimona commercial center kills one city resident and wounds many at

9 9 September 18). The terrorists had weapons and explosives in their possession, including two explosive belts (Ma an News Agency, PalPress website, Palestine-info website, September 17). Sources within the national security services said that the squad was a threat to the Palestinian national interest (Al-Ayyam, September 18). Hamas strongly condemned the detentions of the squad s members. The Izz al-din al-qassam Brigades (Hamas s military-terrorist wing) issued an official announcement according to which the dubious role of the security services of the Oslo Authority is merely the completion of the Zionist occupation It also stated that Hebron will remain an Izz al-din al-qassam Brigades stronghold, its strong fortress from which suicide fighters will leave, possessing the right of the first in the arena of jihad and resistance [i.e., violence and terrorism] (Izz al-din al-qassam Brigades website, September 17). On the other hand, senior PA figures continue to accuse the institutions of the Hamas civilian infrastructure (the da wah) of activities beyond welfare and education. Raji al- Najami, security assistant to the Palestinian government s interior minister, told the popular newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that Hamas institutions contribute to paying for the weapons and salaries of the operational force, and that is against the law. He added that we provide authorization for a welfare institution which takes care of people, and then we discover that it is paying the salaries of the member of the operational force and paying for weapons. He asked, what is the connection between an institute which educates children and buying weapons? (Al- Sharq Al-Awsat, September 22). Confrontations between Hamas and the Dughmush clan (update 4 ) On September 17 World Tribune, an online daily paper, published an article about the confrontations between Hamas and the Dughmush clan. It quoted official sources, possibly Hamas, claiming that the members of the Dughmush clan had received money from foreign sources to end the lull arrangement with Israel. According to the article, the Al-Tawhid Battalions, linked to the Dughmush clan, detonated an IED next to an Israeli jeep near the security fence on September 11 (Note: On September 11 an Israeli patrol vehicle was in fact attacked in the Kissufim region. A group calling itself The Battalions of al-tawhid of the Shaheed Ayman Fayadh claimed responsibility for the attack). 4 For further information see our September 21, 2008 Bulletin entitled Hamas security forces exerted massive military power to confront the Dugmush clan and operatives of the Army of Islam, a network affiliated with Al-Qaeda at

10 10 Sayid Siyam, interior minister of the Hamas administration, announced that following calls from human rights organizations complaining of Hamas s exaggerated use of force, a committee had been appointed to investigate the events. It can be assumed that as in the past, the committee will not find anything because it is a matter of Hamas s constant policy of methodical oppression of its opponents and the enforcement of its rule over the Gaza Strip. Responses to Tzipi Livni s election as head of Qadima High-ranking figures in the PA congratulated Tzipi Livni on being chosen to lead the Qadima party, noting that they would cooperate with her in negotiating a peace agreement. Abu Mazen called to congratulate her (Wafa News Agency, September 18). He said he would work with anyone who was chosen, and that for us it makes no difference. It is an internal Israeli matter (Wafa News Agency, September 18). Saeb Erikat, chief PLO negotiator, expressed hope that serious negotiations would begin and that the Israeli voter would vote to remove the settlements and the separation fence. He added that the elections were an internal Israeli matter and hoped that the situation (in the internal Israeli political arena) would stabilize (Agence France Presse, September 18.) Abu Alaa, head of the Palestinian negotiation team, congratulated Tzipi Livni on winning the Qadima elections. He said that she had been involved in the peace process all along and that he believed she would aspire to make progress in negotiations with the Palestinians (Reuters, September 18). While Abu Mazen and senior PA members congratulated Tzipi Livni, on September 22 a cartoon appeared in the daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadeeda portraying her as a murderess and enemy of peace. The paper is semi-official and belongs to the PA. It was not the first time it published anti-israeli cartoons.

11 11 Tzipi Livni as the Mona Lisa, holding a bloody knife. The dove of peace is about to be hanged, and the key symbolizing the Palestinian right to return is firmly attached to a chain. There is a jail with guard towers in the background. (Al-Hayat Al-Jadeeda website, September 22). The cartoon was also posted on the Palestinian Islamic Jihad s Qudsnet website. As expected, Hamas has played down the results of the Qadima elections, claiming there is no difference between Livni and other Israeli leaders. Ismail Haniya, head of the Hamas administration in the Gaza Strip, said that the Palestinian cause would not be influenced by the elections because all Israeli leaders were united in their hostility to the Palestinian people and refused to recognize their rights, including [the rights] to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital and the return of the refugees (Ramattan News Agency, September 17). Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said that her election was an continuation of the policies of suppression and aggression, and noted that Hamas adhered to the option of resistance (i.e., terrorism) as a strategic choice (Palestine-info website, September 18). Cartoons from Hamas-affiliated sources Olmert resigns and hands the job over to his successor. The knife is inscribed Palestinian slaughter (From the website of Omaya Joha, a Hamas-affiliated Palestinian cartoonist popular among the Palestinians and in the Arab world, September 22). Relay race: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert hands Tzipi Livni the skeleton the dove of peace with an olive branch in its mouth. The dove is titled the peace process (From the Hamas paper Felesteen and the Pal-today website, September 23).