News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (October 29 – November 4, 2014)

• On the evening of October 28, 2014, an attempt was made in Jerusalem to assassinate Yehuda Glick, a rightist activist known for his efforts to promote the rights of Jews to visit the Temple Mount. He was critically wounded when a masked terrorist on a motorcycle attacked him. He was leaving a conference held at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center, sponsored by the Temple Mount Faithful organization. Verifying Glick's identity, the terrorist shot him three times at close range.
• The would-be assassin was Mu'ataz Hijazi, 32, from the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Abu Tor. He had spent the past year working in the Center's cafeteria. A PIJ operative, he was released from prison two years ago after having spent 11 years in Israeli jails. In 2000 he was sentenced to six years for a series of arson attacks carried out in Jerusalem. His sentence was extended after he was involved in two serious attacks on prison guards. He was released in 2012. Interviewed after his release, he said he hoped to be "a bone in the throat of the Jewish plan to Judaize Jerusalem."
• He was located through intelligence information and the evidence left at the scene of the crime. The Israeli security forces went to his house in Abu Tor in east Jerusalem, where they found the parked motorcycle and gun used in the attack. Hijazi opened fire at the security forces and was shot to death (Ynetnews.co.il, October 29, 2014). His funeral was held in Abu Tor and heavily guarded. To prevent rioting, only 45 family members were allowed to attend the funeral.

Palestinian Reactions to the Assassination Attempt and the Killing of Hijazi

Palestinian Authority (PA)

Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian public figures condemned the Israeli security forces' killing of Mu'ataz Hijazi, making no mention of the attempted assassination (Alhayat-j.com, November 3, 2014). On November 2, 2014, Adnan al-Husseini, governor of the Jerusalem district and PA minister for Jerusalem affairs, went to Hijazi's house in Abu Tor and gave the family a formal letter of condolence from Mahmoud Abbas. (The letter was printed in Al-Hayat Al-Jadeeda and Al-Quds on November 3, 2014; ITIC translation and emphases).

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)

• The PIJ issued a statement claiming responsibility for the attack, saying that the would-be assassin was one of its members (Saraya.ps, October 30, 2014). Ziyad al-Nakhaleh, PIJ deputy secretary general, claimed the "heroic attack" in Jerusalem and the killing of Mu'ataz Hijazi stressed the correctness of the concept of the "resistance" [i.e., violence and terrorism]. Khaled al-Batash, senior PIJ figures in the Gaza Strip, praised the attack and said that the 'heroic action" had come as the PIJ's natural response to the events in Jerusalem. Daoud Shihab, PIJ spokesman, justified the attack, saying that "Yehuda Glick is a Zionist extremist who got what he deserved" (Paltoday.ps, October 30, 2014).

• On October 31, 2014, the PIJ held a march in the Gaza Strip to show support for Jerusalem and the terrorist operative Mu'ataz Hijazi. The marchers walked on the flags of Israel and the United States and afterwards burned them (Paltoday.ps, October 31, 2014).

Hamas

• Hamas' military-terrorist wing issued a formal notice praising the assassination attempt in Jerusalem and mourning the death of the would-be assassin (Qassam.ps, October 30, 2014). Ismail Haniya, deputy chairman of Hamas' political bureau, speaking at a political-religious conference at the Islamic University in Gaza City, praised the attempted assassination of Yehuda Glick (Safa.ps, November 2, 2014).

Fatah

• Fatah's Facebook page also posted a death notice praising and glorifying the "shaheed and hero" Mu'ataz Hijazi (Fatah's Facebook page, October 30, 2014).

Israeli and American Reactions

• Following the assassination attempt Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu convened a government meeting. He said that "The international community needs to stop its hypocrisy and take action against inciters, against those who try to change the status quo. I have ordered significant reinforcements so that we can maintain both security in Jerusalem and the status quo in the holy places. This struggle might be long, and here, like in other struggles, we must first of all, lower the flames. No side should take the law into its own hands. We must be level-headed and act with determination and responsibility, and so we shall" (Website of the Israeli prime minister, October 30, 2014).
• John Kerry, the American secretary of state, expressed deep concern for the growing tension in the Jerusalem region and said that both sides had to act with restraint. He said any decision or action that changed the status quo would be "provocative and dangerous" (United States Department of State website, October 30, 2014).

Rocket and Mortal Shell Fire into Israel

• At approximately 2100 hours on October 31, 2014, a rocket hit was identified in Israeli territory in an open area in the western Negev. There were no casualties and no damage was reported. It was the second rocket hit identified in Israeli territory since Operation Protective Edge ended. On September 16, 2014, three weeks after the ceasefire went into effect, a rocket hit was identified near the security fence in the western Negev (Ynetnews.co.il, October 31, 2014).
• Israel called the rocket fire a "gross violation" of the lull agreement and inresponse closed the Gaza Strip crossings (the Kerem Shalom crossing for the delivery of merchandise and the Erez crossing for the passage of people). It was done as a way to exert pressure and to make it clear to the Gazans that firing rockets had a price (Ynetnews.co.il, October 31, 2014). However, on November 4, 2014, Israel reopened the crossings.

Violent Events in Jerusalem

• This past week the wave of riots and violence continued in the neighborhoods of east Jerusalem, part of what the Palestinians refer to as the "popular resistance." A prominent event was the attempted assassination of activist Yehuda Glick. On October 30, 2014, following information about Palestinian intention to confront the Israeli security forces after the Friday prayers, Israeli security decided to close the Temple Mount to Jews and Muslims. On October 31, 2014, the Temple Mount compound was reopened to individuals 50 years old and older (Ynetnews.co.il, October 31, 2014).

Left: "Death to the Zionists," graffiti sprayed on a bus shelter on French Hill in Jerusalem (Tazpit.org.il, October 30, 2014). Right: Israeli security forces deployed in Jerusalem (Facebook page of the Israel Police Force, November 2, 2014).

• The Israeli decision to close the Temple Mount led to harsh criticism from the Palestinians. Mahmoud Abbas claimed that Jerusalem and the Muslim and Christian holy places were a "red line" that could not be crossed. Presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina stated that the Palestinian Authority (PA) blamed Israel for the serious escalation in Jerusalem. He claimed the decision to close Al-Aqsa mosque was clearly provocation, dangerous harassment and added to the tension and instability, and created a dangerous, negative atmosphere (Wafa.ps, October 30, 2014). Fatah issued a statement calling on the Palestinians to support Al-Aqsa mosque and Jerusalem. According to the statement, damaging Al-Aqsa mosque was tantamount to declaring a religious war on the Palestinian people and the Arab-Muslim nations. A different Fatah statement declared that the movement's members and the Palestinian people would defend Al-Aqsa mosque at all cost (Wafa.ps, October 30, 2014).

Left: A slingshot seized from Palestinians lying in wait to attack the light railway in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Shuafat (Israel Police Force spokesman, October 31, 2014). Right: Cartoon printed in the official PA daily paper encouraging Palestinian violence against Israel (Alhayat-j.com, November 1, 2014).

• Some of the more prominent incidents were the following:

• On October 30, 2014, after the Friday prayer Palestinians threw stones at Israeli security forces in Wadi Joz in east Jerusalem. The security forces dispersed the rioters. Close to midnight security forces identified two young Palestinians lying in wait for the light railway. The two, both 22 years old and residents of Shuafat, were captured with slingshots and rocks.
• On November 1, 2014, a 13 year-old Palestinian attacked a Jew at the Nablus Gate in Jerusalem. The Palestinian boy was detained. His detention led to a riot in which an Israeli policeman incurred minor injuries.
• On November 2, 2014, an IED was thrown at Israeli security forces near a mosque in the Shuafat neighborhood in east Jerusalem. There were no casualties. Shortly before the incident fireworks were shot at Israeli security forces in Wadi Joz and the Old City. The windows of four vehicles in Abu Tor were shattered.

• In an attempt to defuse the situation Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu called on all the members of the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) to help reduce the tensions and demonstrate responsibility and restraint (Website of the Israeli prime minister, November 1, 2014). Mahmoud Abbas, speaking at the opening of PLO's Executive Committee conference, also called for calm in Jerusalem. He said that the Palestinians would not accept that Jerusalem or the Temple Mount be damaged, but that he did not want escalation (Maannews.net, November 2, 2014).

"Day of Rage" in Judea and Samaria

• Responding to the events in Jerusalem, on October 31, 2014, Fatah and Hamas declared a "day of rage" in Judea and Samaria. Hamas instructed its operatives in the Ramallah and Hebron regions to support Al-Aqsa mosque and the "Jerusalem intifada." Hamas demanded that the Palestinian people in Judea and Samaria not leave the residents of Jerusalem to battle alone (Hamasinfo.net, October 30, 2014).

Hamas notices. Left: Announcement for a march to be held near the mosque in the Qalandia refugee camp. The large inscription reads "We are all your fedayoun,^[3] oh Al-Aqsa." The large picture shows young Palestinians confronting IDF forces. Right: Announcement for a march to be held in the Hebron district. The Hamas logo appears in both announcements at the upper right, as does the logo of the "I responded to you, Al-Aqsa" at the upper left (PALDF, October 29, 2014).

• In Judea and Samaria Palestinians continue throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at Israeli security forces and vehicles. On October 31, 2014, a barrage of rocks was thrown at a bus on Route 443 near Beit Horon (west of Ramallah). On the evening of November 2, 2014 rocks were thrown at a bus near Anatot (northeast of Jerusalem). The driver sustained minor injuries and was evacuated to a hospital. Rocks were also thrown at vehicles on the Husan bypass road near Beitar Illit (southwest of Jerusalem), and two vehicles were damaged near Talmon (northwest of Ramallah). Stones were thrown near the Tapuah junction (near Nablus); there were no casualties and no damage was reported.

The Crossings

The Kerem Shalom Crossing and the Erez Crossing

• In response to the rocket fire from the Gaza Strip Israel closed the Gaza Strip crossings (the Kerem Shalom crossing for the delivery of merchandise and the Erez crossing for the passage of people). They were closed during delivery of donations and construction materials for rebuilding the Gaza Strip (Ynetnews.co.il, October 31, 2014). On November 4, 2014, Israel reopened the crossings.
• Hamas reacted strongly to the closing of the crossings:

• Musa Abu Marzouq, member of Hamas' political bureau, claimed that Israel's closing of the crossings was "an immature, irresponsible decision," and a violation of the ceasefire understandings. He also criticized the Palestinian national consensus government for not intervening (Alresala.net, November 2, 2014).
• Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior Hamas figure, warned that if Israel did not lift the siege of the Gaza Strip Hamas would not be bound by what was agreed upon [i.e., the ceasefire].
• Jamal al-Khudari, chairman of the popular committee to lift the siege, claimed closing the crossings was collective punishment, a worsening of the closure and a violation of international law (Paltoday.tv, November 1, 2014).

The Rafah Crossing

• Following the terrorist attacks in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt closed the Rafah crossing. It has been closed for two weeks. The Palestinians, headed by Mahmoud Abbas, are trying to get the Egyptians to reopen it (Alresala.net, November 2, 2014). Maher Abu Subha, head of the crossings administration in the Gaza Strip, said that so far there were no signs the Egyptians intended to reopen the Rafah crossing in the near future (Safa.ps, November 2, 2014).

Disagreements over the Crossings

• Rami Hamdallah, prime minister of the Palestinian national consensus government, told representatives of the Palestinian organizations of the urgent need to appoint a crossings administration in the Gaza Strip that would be responsible for the rebuilding. He also said that international aid for the Gaza Strip would be delivered only with the supervision of the national consensus government (Al-ayyam.com, October 24, 2014). In response Hamas claimed Rami Hamdallah was responsible for sabotaging the activity of the crossings. Hamas claimed that the arrangement for supervising the crossings had been made between Deputy Prime Minister Ziyad Abu Amro and the security forces in the Gaza Strip, and they had determined that it would be the government that controlled the crossings (Paltoday.tv, October 28, 2014).
• Musa Abu Marzouq, a member of Hamas' political bureau, reiterated Hamas' objections to UN supervision of the delivery of building materials to the Gaza Strip. He wrote on his Facebook page that the supervisory mechanism was never presented to Hamas and no one in Hamas had agreed to it. He claimed Hamas had expressed its objection to UN involvement in rebuilding the Gaza Strip and demanded that all such activities remain in the hands of the national consensus government (Samanews.com, November 3, 2014).

Egypt-Hamas Relations

• Egypt continues itsconstruction of a buffer zone along its border with the Gaza Strip. Its objective, according to Egypt, is to prevent terrorists from infiltrating into Egypt through the tunnels. Among the Egyptian tactics reported were the use of bulldozers to raze houses, exploding houses and evacuating residents from the area of the proposed buffer zone (AFP.com, October 29, 2014). Egyptian security sources have claimed that their investigation revealed that five of the terrorist operatives who carried out the attack in which 31 Egyptian soldiers were killed escaped to the Gaza Strip through the tunnels in the two hours after the attack. According to the sources, the terrorist operatives belonged to Hamas (Alrai.com, October 30, 2014). It was also reported that seven terrorist operatives were detained after they tried to escape through the tunnels from the Sinai Peninsula to the Gaza Strip (Masrawy, October 30, 2014),

Left: A map of the Rafah buffer zone authorized by the Egyptian prime minister (Almasryalyoum.com, October 29, 2014). Right: Egypt blows up buildings in Egyptian Rafah (Palestine-info.info, October 29, 2014).

• Sources within Hamas continue to claim they are in no way connected to the events. Interviewed by Qatar's Al-Jazeera TV, senior Hamas figure Musa Abu Marzouq spoke about the terrorist attacks in the Sinai Peninsula for the first time. He claimed that no Egyptian figure had ever said the activity had originated in the Gaza Strip and there was no truth to the statements in the media linking Palestinians to the terrorist attacks. He appealed to the Egyptian security apparatus to find the real culprits. As to the construction of the buffer zone, he said it was an internal Egyptian matter and he had no wish to interfere (Al-Jazeera, October 30, 2014).
• Senior Hamas figure Salah al-Bardawil also said the construction of the buffer zone was an internal Egyptian matter and that Egypt had the right to do whatever it chose along its borders. However, he claimed its construction was being accompanied by incitement against the Gaza Strip, which was being interpreted as accusing the Palestinians of being a danger to Egyptian national security. He added that in his opinion the Egyptians were fully aware that the Gaza Strip was not involved in the events in the Sinai Peninsula (Quds.net, October 29, 2014).

Rebuilding the Gaza Strip

• According to an updated UNRWA report, 18 of its schools currently shelter 32,419 Palestinians. UNRWA continues its efforts to reduce the number of schools used as shelters to the lowest possible number (UNRWA website, October 28 2014).
• The rebuilding of the Gaza Strip is still proceeding slowly, and local protests have increased. On October 28, 2014, homeless Gazans held two demonstrations where they made claims principally against Israel, UNRWA and the national consensus government. They demanded the rebuilding process proceed more quickly and that the rubble be cleared. A demonstration was held in Jabaliya, sponsored by the Hamas refugees' committee, where calls were heard to renew the rocket fire against Israel (Maannews.net, October 27, 2014). The delays in rebuilding led Hamas to issue an announcement calling for immediate rebuilding and an end to the delays. In addition, Hamas stressed its total objection to Israel's conditions which, it claimed, sabotaged the rebuilding and violated the agreement (Samanews.com, October 31, 2014).

Paying the Salaries of Hamas Administration Employees

• Following the payment of the salaries of civilian employees of the former Hamas administration (23,600 employees), the union of Hamas' civil sector workers thanked Mahmoud Abbas and Rami Hamdallah for their fortitude and promises (Alrai.com, October 29, 2014).
• However, salaries were paid to civilian employees only, while thousands of security force operatives employed by the Hamas administration did not receive their salaries. The number of employees designated as "military" in the Gaza Strip is estimated at 17,000. Mamoun Abu Shahla, minister of labor in the Palestinian national consensus government, called on the "military employees" to be patient. He claimed the government had a comprehensive plan to regularize the status of all the civilian and military employees, but the solution for the problem of the military employees would take more time that of the civilian employees (Safa.ps, October 30, 2014).

The PA's International Political Activity

• Nabil Abu Rudeina, spokesman for the presidential office, reported that Mahmoud Abbas wanted to convene an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss "Israel's repeated violations in Jerusalem," the construction in the settlements and "the violations on the Temple Mount." He also claimed consultations were continuing regarding a Palestinian appeal to the UN Security Council regarding a date for the end of the [Israeli] occupation and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state (Al-ayyam.com, October 28, 2014).
• Interviewed by the Voice of Palestine radio station, Riyadh al-Maliki, foreign minister in the national consensus government, claimed that his ministry had consulted in a European capital with some of the most important jurists in the world, asking for advice on how the Palestinians could appeal to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. He said they had given him ideas which he later transmitted to Mahmoud Abbas. He also said senior figures in the Palestinian foreign ministry had been to the ICC to become familiar with the people working there and the process for filing a request to join, and for signing the Rome Convention. He claimed at all the above steps were advancing the Palestinians' joining the ICC (Voice of Palestine, October 28, 2014).

Sweden Recognizes the Palestinian State

• On October 30, 2014, the Swedish foreign minister announced that Sweden had officially recognized the Palestinian state. Mahmoud Abbas praised the decision. He spoke with the Swedish prime minister and thanked him. Nabil Abu Rudeina, Palestinian presidential spokesman, claimed the recognition was in accordance with international law, especially after the UN General Assembly had recognized the Palestinian state as an observer nation. He claimed that Sweden had sent a message to Israel and it was a response Israel's actions and the continuing occupation. He appealed to the rest of the world to follow Sweden and participate in the establishment of a Palestinian state whose capital was Jerusalem (Wafa.ps, October 30, 2014).

Fatah Condemnation for the 97^th Anniversary of the Balfour Declaration

• November 2, 2014 marked the 97^th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration. Fatah used its Facebook page to condemn it. One posting showed former Israeli prime ministers spattered with blood next to a picture of Lord Balfour with horns (Fatah's official Facebook page, November 1, 2014).

Fatah's official Facebook page, November 1, 2014

Propaganda Support from the ISIS for the Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, Which is Waging a Terrorist Campaign against Egypt

• The Salafist-jihadi organization Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis and other jihadist organizations are waging a terrorist campaign against the Egyptian army and the Egyptian regime in the Sinai Peninsula and other locations in Egypt. The campaign was intensified on October 24, 2014, when an attack in the Sinai Peninsula killed 31 Egyptian soldiers. The ISIS used its media network to encourage the terrorist campaign against the Egyptian regime, praise the Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis and call for jihadists around the world to support it.
• In September 2014 the ISIS began encouraging Egyptian jihadists to attack the Egyptian military. ISIS spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani said in a recording uploaded to the Internet that "We praise our brothers in the proud Sinai Peninsula. Continue along your path because it is the true path. Lay mines on their roads, attack their strongholds, assault their houses and behead them...take them wherever they are. Make their lives a horror and a hell, blow up their houses" (Alarabiya.net, department 22, 2014).
• On September 31, 2014, ISIS supporters on Twitter launched a hashtag called "Sinai lions' den of believers in the unity of Allah." They called on all jihad supporters to help the Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis in its war against the Egyptian army in the Sinai Peninsula. Members of the Muslim Brotherhood were also called on to bear arms and to engage in active protest. In addition, the Twitter account posted a video showing residents of the Sinai Peninsula calling for help after their houses had been destroyed. They cursed the Egyptian army and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
• At the beginning of November 2014 the ISIS' official forum (al-minbar al-alami al-jihadi) launched a section to deal with the Sinai Peninsula. It posted a number of notices calling on jihad fighters around the globe to support the Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis in the Sinai Peninsula to enable it to fight against the Egyptian security forces. Thus it is clear that the support ISIS gives the Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis is open and official.

Postings on the ISIS forum. Left: A soldier, apparently an Egyptian soldier, falls in battle. Above his head is a helicopter, and the inscription reads "Jihad cavalry, defenders  of the honor of the Sinai Peninsula: Allah directs your fire, strengthens you and enables you [to hold] the necks and tails of the Jews [a hint at the Egyptian regime]. You are the heroes of the jihad, the descendants of the sahaba [Muhammad's loyal followers]" (Alplatformmedia.com). Right: Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis operatives march at night. The inscription reads "In Sinai there are men who are heroes, heroes like lions, who are not afraid of any dictator [a hint at Sisi] or any Jew. Allah, help them and let them [have victory], give them reinforcements and enlist what is yours [i.e., enlist faithful Muslims for them]" (Alplatformmedia.com).

• On October 27, 2014, Peruvian counterterrorism forces detained a young man of Lebanese extraction named Muhammad Zuhair Amdar. He was suspected of forming a Hezbollah terrorist cell in Peru and planning attacks on Jewish sites and tourists sites frequented by Israelis. Materials for making military-quality explosives were found in his apartment along with the remains of detonators, TNT and gunpowder. He was detained apparently as the result of a tip after he had collected information about Israeli and Jewish targets. He lived in the Surco neighborhood in Lima, the capital of Peru, near the Israeli embassy and the houses of Israeli representatives. During interrogation he denied any connection to a terrorist network, claiming he was on his way to the United States, where he was staying with his wife (Al-Arabiya, October 30, 2014).
• The Peruvian minister of the interior said in a statement that he had been detained following intelligence information and a warrant issued by the national criminal court for organized crime. According to the news items there is a terrorist cell in Peru with links to a Lebanese-linked terrorist network based in the border triangle where Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil meet, and where there is a large Shi'ite population (Al-Arabiya, October 30, 2014).