News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (February 14 –20, 2018)
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רמה כ ז מל ו תשר מה ו ד י ע י ן ה ש ל מ ( למ מ" ) News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (February 14 –20, 2018) Overview Click for video This past week events focused on the attack in the Gaza Strip, the most serious since Operation Protective Edge. IDF soldiers approached the border security fence to remove a flag hung on it during a riot. An IED attached to the flag exploded, wounding four soldiers, two of them critically. It was the first time a "popular demonstration" near the fence was exploited for a terrorist attack. The Popular Resistance Committees, a terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip that at least in the past was affiliated with Hamas, claimed responsibility for the attack. In response, IDF tanks fired at a Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) observation post and Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked 18 "terrorist targets." The IDF spokesperson reported that among the targets were a tunnel whose route was directed towards Israel. During the attack and the day after, two rocket hits were identified in Israeli territory. One hit a house in a community in the western Negev. No casualties were reported. The incident was another example of the erosion of the relative calm between Hamas and Israel since the end of Operation Protective Edge. While Hamas still continues its policy of restraint, apparently the deterioration of the economy in the Gaza Strip and Hamas' strategic hardships have weakened it. In ITIC assessment that increases the potential for the deterioration of the situation between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Riots, clashes and popular terrorism This past week demonstrations and riots continued in Judea, Samaria, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Most of the demonstrators were still protesting Trump's decision to relocate the American embassy to Jerusalem. Some of them clashed with the Israeli security forces. The Palestinian ministry of health and the Red Crescent reported that a number of 046-18 2 2 Palestinians were injured (Wafa, February 16, 2018). Sources in the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Gaza Strip continued calling for rallies, demonstrations and the escalation of the "popular resistance." Call were also heard for school children to participate in the events (Wafa, February 17, 2018). Notices were issued calling for the protests to continue and peak on Friday, February 23, 2018. In the Gaza Strip as well demonstrations were held to protest the United States and in support of the "Jerusalem intifada," alongside demonstrations protesting the difficult humanitarian situation. Right: Riots at the northern entrance to al-Bireh. Left: Riots in the village of Beita, south of Nablus (Wafa, February 16, 2018). Right: Hamas protest demonstration in Rafah (Facebook page of Rafah 24, February 16, 2018). Left: Protest rally of nationalist and Islamic organizations in the center of Gaza City. Senior PIJ figure Khaled al-Batash gives a speech (website of the Popular Resistance Movement headed by Zakaria Dughmush, February 16, 2018). In the meantime 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 weapons. 046-18 3 3 February 19, 2018 – A Molotov cocktail was thrown at cars on the Gush Etzion road near al-Khader. No casualties or damage was reported (Facebook page of Red Alert, February 19, 2018). February 18, 2018 – Border Policemen stationed at the entrance to the military court in Samaria (a frequent target for terrorist attacks) saw a Palestinian who seemed suspicious. When they approached to question him he pointed at a bag he had hidden nearby. It contained an improvised "Carlo" submachine gun. The suspect, 19, from Nablus, was detained for questioning (Facebook page of Red Alert, February 18, 2018). Improvised submachine gun found in the bag of a Palestinian at the entrance to a military courthouse (Paldf Twitter account, February 18, 2018). February 18, 2018 – A young Palestinian woman went to the check point at the Magistrate's Court in Jerusalem. She seemed suspicious and the security guards detained her for examination. She was found to be in possession of a knife, and was taken for interrogation (Facebook page of Red Alert, February 18, 2018). February 15, 2018 – During an Israeli security force activity a vehicle was halted for inspection. A search of the vehicle revealed an improvised "Carlo" submachine gun. Two Palestinian suspects from Duma were detained for interrogation (Facebook page of Red Alert, February 15, 2018). 046-18 4 4 Israeli bus attacked with stones near the village of Husan, west of Bethlehem (Palinfo Twitter account, February 18, 2018). Significant terrorist attacks during the past year 1 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 8 8 7 6 6 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 2 0 April May June July January March August January February October February September November December Exposure of a PIJ terrorist squad operating in the Bethlehem region In recent weeks the Israeli security forces exposed a PIJ terrorist squad which operated in the Bethlehem region. The squad planned to carry out shooting attacks targeting Israeli civilians and operatives of the Israeli security forces in the Gush Etzion region. Six Palestinians were detained. Their leaders were two PIJ operatives. One of them had been under administrative detention for planning a terrorist attack and the other had been 1 A significant attack is defined by the ITIC as involving shooting, a vehicular attack, the use of IEDs, shooting, or a combination of the above. Stones and Molotov cocktails thrown by Palestinians are not included. 046-18 5 5 imprisoned twice for terrorist activity as an operative of a PIJ squad planning to attack IDF forces. The squad operatives wanted explosives and asked terrorist sources in the Gaza Strip for funding. When they could not acquire materials for manufacturing a real IED they decided to make a dummy IED to receive funding and recognition for their activities and to carry out other attacks. According to the investigation, their motive was to be detained and receive prisoners' allotments from the PIJ. They also planned to assassinate the Israeli defense minister by planing an IED on a road he customarily used, but they were deterred by the heavy security around him (Israel Security Agency, February 20, 2018). Israel's South 24 hours of clashes along the Israel-Gaza Strip border On February 17, 2018, an IDF force operated near the border security fence in the southern Gaza Strip to remove a flag hung by Palestinians during a demonstration. When the soldiers approached the fence a powerful IED attached to the flag was detonated by remote control. Four soldiers were wounded, two critically and two seriously. Gazans riot near the border security fence in the eastern Gaza Strip (Twitter account of QudsN, February 16, 2018). The IDF responded immediately with tank fire at a PIJ observation post. Later, Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked 18 "terrorist targets." The IDF spokesperson reported that "unique targets" were attacked belonging to Hamas, which Israel regards as responsible for every occurrence in the Gaza Strip. Among the targets was a terrorist attack tunnel in the Zeitun neighborhood of Gaza City, dug in the direction of Israel. Also attacked were a military compound in the central Gaza Strip of unique Hamas military systems, sites for the manufacture of weapons and a military facility near Khan Yunis. 046-18 6 6 Hamas' military-terrorist wing reported, exceptionally, that its operatives had fired anti- aircraft missiles at Israeli planes. It issued a statement saying that anti-aircraft weapons of its military wing had been fired at "Zionist planes" that attacked the Gaza Strip (Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades website, February 17, 2018). Hamas' military-terrorist wing announcement of anti-aircraft fire attacking Israeli planes (Paldf Twitter account, February 18, 2018, Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades website, February 17, 2018). Targets of Israeli Air Force attacks in the northern and central Gaza Strip (Facebook page of the IDF spokesperson, December 17, 2018) 046-18 7 7 Right: Hamas terrorist tunnel in the Zeitun neighborhood of Gaza City, attacked by the IDF (Paldf Twitter account, February 18, 2018). Left: Observation post near the Israeli border, east of Khan Yunis (Paldf Twitter account, February 18, 2018). The Popular Resistance Committees2 claimed responsibility for detonating the IED east of Khan Yunis. According to the announcement, it was a response to the entrance of the "enemy" into the Gaza Strip and was a message sent to emphasize the readiness of the organization to defend the Palestinian people (Twitter account of Filastin al-Yawm TV, February 17, 2018). Interviewed by telephone, Muhammad al-Barem (Abu Mujahed), spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committees, called it a "heroic activity" which came as a "natural response to Israel's crimes." He claimed it had greatly embarrassed Israel because it had been unexpected (Filastin al-Yawm, February 17, 2018). On another occasion he said that the "Palestinian resistance" had promised to cut off the hand that attacked the demonstrators on the Gaza Strip border, and had kept its promise (Popular Resistance Committees website, February 17, 2018). 2 The Popular Resistance Committees is a Palestinian terrorist organization established in the Gaza Strip in 2001 during the second intifada. It was established by Jamal Abu Samhadana (who was killed by the IDF on June 8, 2006). The organization operated under the aegis of Hamas, and in the past was a subcontractor for Hamas terrorist attacks. The organization's most prominent attack was near Eilat on August 18, 2011, in which 8 Israelis were killed.