The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (August 8-14, 2012)

Egyptian Army Activity following the Terrorist Attack at Kerem Shalom^[1]

• Following the terrorist attack at Kerem Shalom, in which 16 Egyptian soldiers were murdered, the Egyptian army stepped up its activities against focal points of terrorism in the Sinai Peninsula. An Egyptian security source reported that dozens of APCs and other vehicles had been brought to El-Arish to reinforce the forces deployed in the northern Sinai Peninsula as part of a military operation known as "Eagle." It was also reported that since it began an estimated 60 terrorist operatives had been killed and several global jihad operatives had been detained and taken to Cairo for interrogation (Masrawi, August 9, 2012).
• It was also reported that the Egyptian army Engineers Corps initiated the destruction of an estimated 150 tunnels linking Egyptian Ramallah to Gazan Ramallah, in an effort to make it difficult for terrorist operatives to enter the Gaza Strip from the Sinai Peninsula. So far, several dozen tunnels have been blocked. Demolishing the tunnels has been secured by armed Egyptian soldiers, lest the Palestinian owners of the tunnels attack (Ma'an News Agency, August 9, 2012).

Egyptian army forces reinforce the Sinai Peninsula (Picture from Hamas' PALDF forum website, August 8, 2012)

Hamas Responses to the Attack at Kerem Shalom

• The de-facto Hamas administration is worried about both the political influence of the attack on the Gaza Strip and the practical consequences of the Egyptians' closing of the tunnels and the Rafah crossing(the tightening of the "siege" of the Gaza Strip).
• Publicly the de-facto Hamas administration expressed solidarity with Egypt and pledged to support its investigation of the attack. Hamas stated it was not involved in the attack and expressed support for the security steps taken by Egypt, including the destruction of tunnels and the partial closing of the Rafah crossing. Hamas spokesmen repeatedly denied any connection between the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip and the perpetrators of the attack. Hamas also denied reports that it had been requested to hand over three senior members of the Army of Islam (a Gaza-based organization affiliated with Al-Qaeda) to Egypt for interrogation (Al-Aqsa TV, August 12, 2012).

Cartoon by Hamas-affiliated Omaya Joha denying any connection between the terrorist attack in Egypt and the Gaza Strip. The banner reads "[I am] innocent of the blood of my [Egyptian] brother" (Al-Istiqlal website, August 6, 2012)

• The Hamas movement issued an official statement stressing that neither the Palestinian people nor the Gaza Strip had any connection to the terrorist attack and that no official Egyptian source had accused the Gaza Strip of anything. The statement detailed the steps taken by Hamas on the ground, including the immediate closure of all the tunnels lest the perpetrators of the attack try to enter the Gaza Strip. According to the statement, Hamas was in direct contact with Egyptian political and security leaders as well as with the Egyptian security services, and they were collaborating to find the guilty parties (Safa News Agency, August 11, 2012).
• Senior Hamas figure Salah al-Bardawil said that Hamas had received messages from the Egyptian leadership assuring them that they had no intention of punishing the Gaza Strip for the attack. Yousuf Rizqa, Ismail Haniya's political advisor, said that the tunnels were being closed temporarily, until the security situation in the Sinai Peninsula had been stabilized (Filastin al-'Aan, August 7, 2012). Nevertheless, Hamas is doubtless worried by the measures taken by the Egyptians, especially the limitations placed on traffic through the Rafah crossing and the actions taken against the tunnels. Senior Hamas figures even went so far as to strongly criticize Egypt:

• Musa Abu Marzouk, deputy chairman of Hamas' Executive Committee, who moved from Syria to Egypt, said that closing the Rafah crossing was a form of collective punishment of the Gaza Strip residents. He also denounced the new security measures imposed by the Egyptian authorities on ports and airports to prevent Palestinians from entering Egypt (Al-Sharq, date, 2012).
• Fathi Hamad, minister of the interior in the de-facto Hamas administration, in an exceptional statement, strongly criticized Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and demanded an immediate announcement that the Rafah crossing would reopen and remain open. He said that by closing the crossing the Egyptian president was acting like Mubarak, whose regime, he said, collaborated with the Israeli "siege" of the Gaza Strip. Hamad said that the closure of the Rafah crossing had caused damage and worsened the lives of the civilians. He demanded that the Egyptian president issue an urgent and immediate announcement stating that he was opening the crossing (Website of the ministry of the interior of the de-facto Hamas administration, August 13, 2012).

Right: The Rafah crossing, empty and inactive (Picture from Hamas' palestine-info website, August 13, 2012). Left: An Egyptian customs clerk examines the passports of Palestinians at the Rafah crossing (Picture from Hamas Izz al-Din Brigades website, August 13, 2012).

Disputes between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas

• The Palestinian Authority applauded the closing of the tunnels under the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Tayib Abd al-Rahim, presidential secretary, said the PA supported any step that would lead to closing the tunnels. He said the tunnels contributed to deepening the Palestinian rift and had become a threat to Egypt's national security, to the unity of the Palestinian people and to the Palestinians' vital interests (Wafa News Agency, August 11, 2012).
• Hamas reacted angrily to the statement:

• Hamas spokesman Salah al-Bardawil said that objective of the presidential statement was to tighten the siege of the Gaza Strip. He claimed that the tunnels were the result of necessity and had been dug to rescue the Gazans, who had been surrounded by the "Zionist enemy." He said that Hamas could only hope for the day the siege ended and the tunnels would be unnecessary (Safa News Agency, August 11, 2012).
• Musa Abu Marzoukaccused Mahmoud Abbas of having asked the Egyptian leadership to close the tunnels, claiming they contributed to deepening the internal Palestinian rift (Al-Ghad, August 13, 2012).
• Taher al-Nunu, spokesman for the de-facto Hamas administration, said that the "presidency" apparently wanted to tighten the siege of the Gaza Strip, to close the crossings and the tunnels and to perpetuate the suffering of the Gazans (Al-Aqsa TV, August 11, 2012).

The Palestinian Authority shows solidarity with Egypt: Palestinian youth hold a candlelight vigil in the center of Ramallah to honor the Egyptian soldiers killed by terrorists
 (Wafa News Agency, August 8, 2012).

Rocket Fire

• This past week one rocket hit was identified in Israel's south, falling in an open area. There were no casualties and no damage was done.

Rockets Fired into Israeli Territory^[1]

Hamas Cell Operating in Ramallah Region Exposed

• The Israel security force recently exposed a cell of Hamas operatives in the Ramallah region. Two of the detained terrorists admitted that they had involved in the lynch of two IDF reservists on October 12, 2000.^[3] The two were indicted for their participation (IDF Spokesman, August 9, 2012).

Demonstrations at the Traditional Friction Points

• This week as well there were riots at the traditional friction points in Judea and Samaria, especially the villages of Bila'in, Nili'in and Nebi Saleh. Rioters threw stones at the IDF forces, who in certain instances used riot control equipment to disperse the demonstrators. In addition, in a number of instances stones and Molotov cocktails were thrown at Israeli civilian and security vehicles.

Smuggling of Explosives into Israel by Drug Dealers Prevented

• In July 2010 the Israeli security forces exposed a network of Israeli drug dealers who, as part of their criminal activities, smuggled explosives into Israel from Lebanon. The dealers, who at first thought they were smuggling drugs, were handled by Hezbollah. Twelve men were detained and interrogated. Indictments were handed down for eight of them. Most of the drug dealers were from the village of Ghajar (on the Lebanese border) and the area around Nazareth (Israel Security Agency website, August 2012).
• The explosives Hezbollah tried to smuggle into Israel were 20 kilos, or 44 pounds, of standard C-4 (by way of comparison, the IED that blew up the bus in Bulgaria weighed and estimated three kilos, or 6.6 pounds). Weapons were also seized, among them an M-16 assault rifle and detonation systems which had also been smuggled in from Lebanon. In our assessment, Hezbollah intended to use the explosives to carry out terrorist attacks in Israel as another in the series of attacks and attempted attacks it has carried out recently, including attacks from the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip (Israel Security Agency website, August 2012).

Left: The bag used to carry the explosives, delivered to a courier in Ghajar by Lebanese drug dealers. Right: The 20 kilos of C-4 seized (Picture from Israel Security Agency website, August 2012).

• Two figures linked to Hezbollah were involved on the Lebanese side:

• Saad Jamil Yasser Qahmouz, considered the most important drug lord connected to and operating for Hezbollah. He fled from Israel to Lebanon in 2006 when legal proceedings were instituted against him during an investigation of pro-Hezbollah espionage (2003). With the espionage affair, he had given Lebanese Hezbollah operatives information and equipment in return for drugs.
• George Nimr (Abu Ali), a drug dealer with ties to and working for Hezbollah. He was linked to the 2003 affair, which involved Ghajar residents who carried out security crimes based on their ordinary criminal activities.
• nThe affair is another illustration of the close ties between Hezbollah and the drug dealers working for it. The integration of criminal, terrorist and intelligence activity has been a trademark of Hezbollah since the IDF withdrew from Lebanon in May 2000. Abroad as well, in America, Latin America and around the globe, Hezbollah and its Iranian handlers customarily combine criminal and terrorist activity.