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News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (December 25 – 31, 2019)

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News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (December 25 – 31, 2019) רמה כ ז מל ו תשר מה ו ד י ע י ן ( למ מ" ) כרמ ז מה י עד מל ו ד י ע י ן ול רט ו ר News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (December 25 – 31, 2019) 24, 2019) Overview On December 27, 2019, the return march was held in the Gaza Strip in a limited format, mainly because of the rainy weather. About 2,700 Palestinians participated. Several dozen rioters threw stones and Molotov cocktails, and climbed on the security fence. The Supreme National Authority of the Great Return March issued its program for the return marches of 2020. The next one will be held on March 30, 2020 (Land Day and the second anniversary of the return marches). After that they will be held once a month or on "days of national importance." However, the Authority will monitor developments on the ground and decide whether the program should be changed. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) held a meeting of its political bureau, after which it announced it would continue its policy of exerting pressure on Israel to force it to lift the "siege" of the Gaza Strip. The PIJ announcement also called for an escalation of terrorist attacks in Judea and Samaria. In ITIC assessment, the announcement indicates the PIJ has its own agenda which is not necessarily coordinated with that of Hamas. Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennet instructed that the lands of the Israeli settlers in the West Bank not be registered with the Israeli Civil Administration in the territories but rather with the land registry of the Israeli Ministry of Justice. His decision led to a wave of condemnation from Palestinians, who saw it as an Israeli attempt to annex parts of Area C (which is under Israeli civil and security control) and as a challenge to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Another Israeli decision to cut 149 million shekels (about $43 million) from the tax revenues Israel collects for the Palestinian Authority (PA) was also condemned by senior PA figures. Hussein al-Sheikh, the Palestinian minister for civil affairs, said the PA would continue paying the salaries of the families of the shaheeds and wounded. 290-19 2 Israel's South The return march of December 27, 2019 On December 27, 2019, the return march was held in the Gaza Strip with the theme, "The blood of the shaheeds shows us the way to freedom." The events were held in a limited format, mainly because of the rainy weather. About 2,700 Palestinians participated. An "exclusive source" reported that because of the weather there were suggestions to cancel the march, but it in the end it was held on the grounds that it was one of the last marches. The events were held at four of the usual sites, without the one east of the al-Bureij refugee camp (Amad, December 27, 2019). Despite the cancellation of the official events at the site, dozens of Palestinians gathered there and threw stones at IDF forces (Facebook page of Abu Wattan, December 28, 2019). According to reports, 39 Palestinians were injured (website of the legal and international relations committee of the Supreme National Authority, December 27, 2019; website of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, December 27, 2019). Right: Palestinian rioters climb the security fence in eastern Khan Yunis (Palinfo Twitter account, December 19, 2019). Left: A Molotov cocktail ignites when it hits an IDF jeep (Facebook page of journalist Hasan Aslih, December 27, 2018). Palestinians riot and throw stones at IDF soldiers in the eastern part of the al-Bureij refugee camp (Facebook page of Abu Wattan, December 28, 2018). 290-19 3 Unlike previous weeks, the Supreme National Authority did not issue an announcement about the next week's march. At the end of the events on December 27, 2019, a press conference was held where Palestinians were called on to participate in the events of the march to be held on March 30, 2019, the first for 2020 (al-Aqsa, December 27, 2019). Isma'il Radwan, senior Hamas figure and a member of the Supreme National Authority, said the "resistance" would continue the marches until they achieved their goals. He stressed that so far the marches had achieved many goals, including renewed recognition of the Palestinian cause and putting the issue of lifting the "siege" of the Gaza Strip on the political agenda (al- Aqsa, December 27, 2019). Isma'il Radwan interviewed at the return camp in eastern Khan Yunis (al-Aqsa TV's Twitter account, December 27, 2019). Program for the return marches of 2020 The Supreme National Authority held a press conference where it issued its program for the return marches of 2020. According to the program, the next march will be held on March 30, 2020 (Land Day and the second anniversary of the return marches). After that they will be held once a month or on "days of national importance" (Nakba Day, Land Day, Prisoners Day, Jerusalem Day, etc.). The time between now and March 30, 2020 will be used for preparations (al-Aqsa, December 26, 2019).1 1 For further information, see the December 22, 2019 bulletin, "The return marches: towards a new format?" 290-19 4 Supreme National Authority of the Great Return March press conference (al-Jazeera YouTube channel, December 26, 2019). Khader Habib, senior PIJ figure and Supreme National Authority member, said that holding the marches once a month may give them new momentum. He said the "natural situation" would be to hold them once a month. However, the Supreme National Authority will monitor developments on the ground and determine accordingly if and when to hold them. He rejected the claim that the decision had been made following pressure from Egypt for a lull between Israel and Hamas (al-Aqsa, December 26, 2019). Senior PIJ figure Ahmed al-Mudallal said that the return marches would be renewed on March 30, 2020 (Sawa, December 29, 2019). Fatah criticized the change in the return march format claiming it signified surrender to Israel and the United States. Majed al-Fatani, secretary of Fatah's Revolutionary Council, called on the organizations not to heed Hamas's call and to continue holding the marches [every week] (Sawa, December 29, 2019). Arrangement with Hamas According to an al-Quds article quoting "knowledgeable Palestinian sources," following the suspension of the return marches Israel decided to implement certain measures in the coming days to ease the economic situation in the Gaza Strip. According to the sources, Israel confirmed the entrance into the Gaza Strip of tires, fishing equipment, fiberglass and barbed wire. In addition, in the near future the amount of agricultural products exported from the Gaza Strip will be increased. Fayiz Abu Shamalah, a Hamas-affiliated political commentator from Khan Yunis, used his Twitter account to call on Hamas not to waste the opportunity for a lull with Israel. He called on the Hamas leadership to have more self-confidence and be more daring, because the opportunity for a lull serves the needs of the residents of the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian cause in general (Twitter account of Fayiz Abu Shamalah, December 29, 2019). On 290-19 5 the other hand, he wrote an article in which he said that for Hamas the lull did not mean giving up the weapon of "resistance," but rather it would be a temporary lull during which the quality of life of the Gazans would be improved. Moreover, he said, a lull would not prevent Hamas from making preparations for the next round [of fighting] (Palestine Online, December 30, 2019). Rocket and Mortar Shell Fire Rocket and mortar shell fire into Israel On December 25, 2019, a rocket was fired at the southern Israeli coastal city of Ashqelon from the northern Gaza Strip. It was intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defense system. No casualties or damage were reported. The rocket was launched at a time when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in the city giving a campaign speech. No organization claimed responsibility for the rocket fire.2 In response to the rocket fire IDF aircraft attacked Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, including military compounds (IDF spokesman, December 26, 2019). The Palestinian media reported an attack on a "resistance" observation post north of Beit Lahia, an attack on the "Ashqelon post" west of Beit Lahia (Shehab, December 25, 2019), a "resistance" post west of Khan Yunis (Dunia al-Watan Twitter account, December 25, 2019) and the "Bader post" north of Gaza City (Dunia al-Watan, December 25, 2019). In response to the IDF attacks Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said Israel was responsible for what he called "continuing the escalation against the residents of the Gaza Strip by attacking 'resistance' posts." He said the attacks reflected the depth of Israel's crises and [so-called] "frustration" in view of its failure to cope with the "news rules [of engagement]" imposed the Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades [Hamas' military-terrorist wing]. He added that Hamas and the other organizations would continue to defend the Palestinian people and would not accept Israel's "equations" (Ma'an, Shehab, December 26, 2019). He did not mention the rocket fire which prompted Israel's response. 2 For further information, see the December 26, 2019, bulletin, "Sporadic rocket fire from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory continues." 290-19 6 Monthly Distribution of Rocket and Mortar Shell Fire since January 2018 2,524 rockets and mortar 691 700 shells fired at Israel since the 578 beginning600 of the return marches 500 470 400 300 214 200 150 180 89 100 67 40 3 4 0 0 0 1 2 1 1 2 2 14 13 3 6 0 July July May May June June April April March March Jan-18 Jan-19 August August October October February February December December November November September September Annual Distribution of Rocket Hits 3852 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1,397 1159 974 1,119 1500 783 925 787 845 1000 375 373 158 103 39 24 15 29 500 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Operation Cast Lead Operation Pillar of Defense Operation Protective Edge Judea and Samaria In Judea and Samaria Palestinians continued throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at Israeli security forces and civilian targets (primarily vehicles).
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