The Israeli Palestinian Conflict

Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (September 6-12, 2023)

This past week Palestinians carried out four terrorist attacks. Three were shooting attacks one was a stabbing attack in the Old City of Jerusalem. Israeli security forces continued counterterrorism activities, focusing on Jenin and near Jericho. A rocket was unsuccessfully launched from west of Jenin at the Gilboa settlements in Israel. The rocket fell in Palestinian territory. Saleh al-'Arouri, deputy head of Hamas' political bureau, said the "resistance" [anti-Israel terrorism] in Judea and Samaria would continue to develop. On September 12, 2023, the joint operations room of the military-terrorist wings of the Palestinian organizations held its fourth "military" maneuver. Hamas banned protest demonstrations near the security fence after that became a condition for the resumption of activity at the Kerem Shalom Crossing. Harsh international condemnations were leveled at Mahmoud Abbas' anti-Semitic, Holocaust-denying remarks in a speech at a meeting of Fatah's Revolutionary Council.
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Possible Renewal of the Return Marches

On August 30, 2023, the Supreme National Authority for Return Marches and Lifting the Siege issued an announcement about rebuilding the return camps near the border security fence in the eastern Gaza Strip and preparing them for the possible renewal of the return marches. Despite the announcement, the possibility of renewing the return marches and the events along the border, the Supreme National Authority leadership claimed it had not yet made a decision because an in-depth discussion was required and there had to be a national consensus. Moreover, contrary to the unified position of the past, many Palestinian organizations, led by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), currently oppose the renewal of the return marches, mainly because from their perspective they are not "cost-effective." Senior figures in the Gaza Strip, political commentators, and social media users argued that the Palestinians had paid a steep price for the return marches while the situation in the Gaza Strip had not improved.
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Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (August 30 –September 5, 2023)

This past week there were four terrorist attacks: a vehicular ramming near the Maccabim crossing in which an IDF soldier was killed and five people were injured; a vehicular ramming in the south of Mount Hebron in which an IDF soldier was superficially injured; and two stabbing attacks in Jerusalem, in which one person was wounded. An IED was used to attack the security forces securing the worshippers at Joseph's Tomb in Nablus; four soldiers were injured. Israeli security forces continued counterterrorism activities in Tulkarm, Tubas and Jenin. During an activity in the Nur al-Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm, IEDs ready for use were detonated.The decision of Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israeli minister of national security, to limit the visits of the families of security prisoners, led to tension in the jails. The Palestinian terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip continue to develop and improve their rocket systems. An attempt to smuggle explosives from the Gaza Strip to Judea and Samaria was foiled.
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Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (August 23 –29, 2023)

This past week there was one shooting attack no casualties were reported. Before the Friday prayer at al-Aqsa Mosque, Palestinians rioted and clashed with Israeli police forces; several policemen and Palestinians were injured. Israeli security forces continued counterterrorism activities, detaining Palestinians suspected of terrorist activities and confiscating weapons and propaganda material. Palestinians made three attempts to cross the border security fence from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory. Two rockets were launched towards the sea, what the Palestinian organizations called experiments to "improve rocket capabilities.". A demonstration was held in the east of Gaza City where demonstrators approached the security fence and clashed with IDF forces. The decision made by Israel's Political-Security Cabinet to target terrorists and their dispatchers raised concern among the Palestinians.
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The City of Jerusalem in the Palestinian Authority Schoolbooks

This research discusses the image of the city of Jerusalem as revealed in the Palestinian Authority's schoolbooks currently used the PA schools in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. Seventy textbooks for grades 1-10 were examined for the purpose of this study. These are the most updated versions, mostly published in 2020 (see the List of Sources at the end of this study). Jerusalem's image, as reflected in the books is strongly one-sided, in sharp contrast to its image in the Israeli schoolbooks, which emphasize its holiness to the three monotheistic religions and treat its Arab inhabitants as the city's integral.
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The PLO Anti-Discrimination and Apartheid Department to hold an international conference at the end of 2023

In recent months the PLO Anti-Discrimination and Apartheid Department, headed by Ramzi Rabah, a member of the PLO Executive, has been organizing an international conference against "Israeli apartheid," expected to take place in South Africa at the end of 2023. Its objective is to "build a global front against 'Israeli apartheid' with extensive Arab and international participation, which will adopt an operational strategy and common vision for action to condemn and boycott the Israeli government and demand it be held accountable for its 'crimes' against the Palestinians, their land and their rights." During June 2023, in preparation for the conference, senior figures of the PLO Anti-Discrimination and Apartheid Department visited several European countries to form sympathetic fronts while promoting a European forum before the international conference had been held. After the visits the decision was made to hold the European forum in Belgium on October 15, 2023. In July 2023 senior Department members met with government and political figures and senior members of the BDS movement in South Africa to prepare and coordinate the conference. It will be the second annual conference organized by the PLO Anti-Discrimination and Apartheid Department; it held the first in al-Bireh on December 11, 2022.
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