Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (September 21 – October 3, 2022)

Shooting attacks

• On the evening of October 2, 2022, shots were fired at IDF forces securing a demonstration of settlers who were protesting the tense security situation; the demonstration was held next to the settlement of Itamar in the Nablus region. The forces returned fire; one IDF soldier was wounded (IDF spokesman, October 2, 2022). A network of local terrorist operatives calling themselves the Lion Cubs claimed responsibility for the shooting (Lion Cubs Telegram channel, October 2, 2022). Hamas praised the attack, claiming the “resistance” [terrorist attacks] would not stop until the Palestinians had achieved their objectives (Hazem Qassem’s Telegram channel, October 2, 2022). In protest, a number of Jewish settlers blocked the roads leading out of Nablus and prevented Palestinian cars from leaving the city (Israeli media, October 3, 2022).
• On October 2, 2022, Palestinians shot at an Israeli bus and taxis on the road between Bayt Furiq and the settlement of Alon Moreh, east of Nablus. The taxi driver was wounded (IDF spokesman, October 2, 2022). The Lion Cubs claimed responsibility for the attack (Lion Cubs’ Telegram channel, October 2, 2022). Hamas praised the attack (Sawt al-Aqsa Radio, October 2, 2022).

• On September 28, 2022, an Israeli vehicle was attacked in a drive-by shooting between the settlements of Adorim and Negohot, southwest of Hebron. No casualties were reported. Two bullet holes were found in the body of the vehicle. IDF forces searched for the shooters (IDF spokesman, September 28, 2022). The Mujahideen Brigades, a terrorist organization operating mainly in the Gaza Strip, claimed responsibility for the attack (Mujahideen Brigades’ Telegram channel, September 28, 2022).
• On September 27, 2022, during a riot where Palestinians threw rocks and detonators at IDF forces, Palestinians opened fire from two vehicles driving towards an IDF force in a temporary post near Asira al-Shamaliya, north of Nablus. No casualties were reported (Israeli media, September 28, 2022).

Vehicular ramming attacks

• On the night of October 2, 2022 IDF forces detained a wanted Palestinian in the Jilazoun refugee camp, near Ramallah. As they left the village three Palestinians speeded their vehicle towards the soldiers, who responded by shooting at them, killing two of the three (Israeli media, October 3, 2022). They were Basel Qassem Basbous, 19, and Khaled al-Anbar, 21 years old, from the Jilazoun refugee camp. The third passenger, Rafat Salameh Awad, 19, from Bir Zeit, was wounded (al-Quds, Wafa, October 3, 2022). Fatah issued a mourning notice, stating the two were movement operatives (Thaer Nakhleh’s Facebook page, October 3, 2022).

    
Right: The two fatalities (Wafa, October 3, 2022). Left: Picture posted by Khaled Anbar, the caption stating he wanted to be a shaheed (Facebook page of Khaled Anbar, August 17, 2022).

• On September 24, 2022, during an Israeli security force activity near the settlement of Havat Gilad, east of Qalqilya, a Palestinian vehicle sped towards them to ram into them. They opened fire at the vehicle and killed the driver (IDF spokesman, September 24, 2022). An Israeli policeman was wounded. According to reports, the driver was Muhammad Ali Hussein Awad Abu Kafia, 36 years old, married and father of three, from Bayt Ijza, northwest of Jerusalem. He worked as a counselor in the Ibn Khaldoun boys’ elementary school near Jerusalem, and also owned a cellular phone store. A cousin claimed he had “lost control of his vehicle and hit a police car” and was shot and killed (Wafa, September 24, 2022). The Fatah movement in Bayt Ijza and Bayt Duku issued mourning notices claiming he was a Fatah operative (Facebook page of Yahya Jamil, September 24, 2022). A Hamas spokesman praised the attack in Nablus and the previous attacks in Jenin, Hebron and Ramallah carried out as part of the “battle to defend al-Aqsa mosque against the settlers” (al-Aqsa, September 24, 2022).

Stabbing attacks

• On October 2, 2022, a young Palestinian woman from Nablus went to the Rimon Prison to visit her brother, an administrative detainee. During the security check she attacked and wounded a woman guard with a scissor. The guard and an officer overcame her (Israeli Prison Service Spokesman’s Unit, October 2, 2022).

• On September 22, 2022, a Palestinian armed with a knife opened the door of a vehicle which had stopped at the Shilat Junction at the northern entrance of Modi’in, and sprayed the driver and passengers with pepper spray. He was shot and killed by a Border Police fighter at the site. Two people were stabbed and five others suffered from inhaling the spray (Israel Police Force Twitter account, Magen David Adom spokesperson, September 22, 2022). The Palestinian attacker was Muhammad Usama Abu Jum’a, 23 years old, from A-Tor in east Jerusalem (Wafa September 22, 2022). The PA foreign ministry condemned the killing and claimed Israel was “fully and directly responsible for the [alleged] crime,” and called on the international community to provide protection for the Palestinians, and for the International Criminal Court to immediately begin its investigation of Israel’s “crimes” (Wafa, September 23, 2022). Hamas praised the attack and said the Palestinians would continue “struggling” with every means at their disposal (Hamas website, September 22, 2022). Khader Adnan, a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) figure in Judea and Samaria, said the attack proved “resistance” activities [terrorist attacks] throughout the “occupied West Bank” continued (Dunia al-Watan, September 22, 2022).

   
Right: Muhammad Usama Abu Jum’a (Ma’an, September 23, 2022). Left: Archive picture of Abu Jum’a with a Fatah flag (Facebook page of the Fatah branch in the PA’s Jerusalem district, September 23, 2022).

Murder in Holon

• On the afternoon of September 20, 2022, a woman was found dead near her home in Holon. Investigation showed a Palestinian had beaten her to death with an iron pipe for “nationalist” reasons. According to police he was Musa Sarsour, 28 years old, from Qalqilya, who worked at a nearby construction site. Police were suspicious of him and he had been detained twice during the two weeks preceding the murder but was released when he produced a permit to work in Israel. He was found dead in central Tel Aviv the following day, apparently having committed suicide (Ynet, September 20, 21, 2022).

  
Right: The scene of the attack in Holon. Left: Musa Sarsour
(Arabs of 48, September 20 and 21, 2022).

Significant Terrorist Attacks in Judea and Samaria since January 2020^[1]

Tension on the Temple Mount on Rosh Hashana

• The High Holidays – Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Succoth – are days of tension on the Temple Mount because many Jews go there to pray. Hamas, which claims the title of “defender of the Temple Mount,” encouraged violence against the worshippers. Senior Hamas figures called on the Palestinian public and Israeli Arabs to go to the Temple Mount compound, barricade themselves inside and confront the Israeli security forces and civilian worshippers who entered (al-Risalah, September 24, 2022). The Hezbollah-affiliated al-Mayadeen reported that the terrorist organizations’ joint operations room in the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Hamas, “held an important meeting” to discuss al-Aqsa mosque. A retraction was later issued (Filastin al-Yawm, September 25, 2022).
•   Fatah also called for a general mobilization of the Palestinian people to confront the “extremist Jews’ invasion” of al-Aqsa mosque, part of the [alleged Israeli] attempts to “Judaize” Jerusalem (Wafa, September 25, 2022). In addition to the tension on the Temple Mount, Palestinians continued rioting at a number of locations in east Jerusalem, throwing rocks, Molotov cocktails and heavy objects, and shooting fireworks.

   
Right: The aftermath of a riot in A-Tor (Twitter account of the al-Qastel website, September 24, 2022). Left: Burning tires near the security fence in Abu Dis (Twitter account of the al-Qastel website, September 28, 2022).

• On the night of September 25, 2022, after several days of incitement and agitation, several dozen Palestinians barricaded themselves inside al-Aqsa mosque. When Jewish worshippers went to the Temple Mount to pray on Rosh Hashana the Palestinians assaulted the Israeli security forces securing them. The Palestinians regarded the attack as successful, claiming it had prevented the police from making it possible for a group of more than 35 Jews to enter the compound. Ihab al-Jalad, a Palestinian historian of Jerusalem affairs, called on the Arabs to turn barricading themselves inside al-Aqsa mosque into facet of Palestinian daily life (al-Quds, September 26, 2022).

• Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Mahmoud Abbas, praised the Palestinians who had barricaded themselves inside the mosque and called for the “struggle” to continue against every “settler attack” (Dunia al-Watan, September 26, 2022). Hamas spokesman Abd al-Latif al-Qanua declared that the confrontation with “Israel’s aggression against al-Aqsa mosque” should ignite a general upheaval throughout all “occupied Palestine” (al-Quds, September 26, 2022). PIJ spokesman Da’ud Shehab claimed it was necessary to escalate the confrontation with Israel and increase the number of stabbing, vehicular ramming and shooting attacks and to attack any “settler” who approached al-Aqsa mosque. He claimed Israel was exploiting the holidays for enforce a “new reality” on al-Aqsa mosque (Filastin al-Yawm, September 26, 2022).
• Egypt and Jordan issued reactions to Jews’ going to pray on the Temple Mount. The Egyptian foreign ministry condemned the [alleged] “Israeli violations” of al-Aqsa, calling them “a gross violation of international law and a dangerous escalation which damaged the changes of resolving Palestinian cause” (al-Youm al-Sabaa, September 26, 2022). A spokesman for the Jordanian foreign ministry said the ongoing “attacks and violations” of the holy sites indicated a dangerous trend which threatened to escalate the violence. He called on Israel to immediately stop its “violations” and respect the sanctity of al-Aqsa mosque and the authority of the waqf (Jordanian foreign ministry website, September 26, 2022).
• As part of its efforts to demonstrate its activism regarding Jerusalem and al-Aqsa, on October 1, 2022, Hamas organized a rally whose cry was “al-Aqsa is in danger” and which was attended by thousands of Gazans. Present in the front row was Yahya al-Sinwar, head of the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip, who did not give a speech, and other senior Hamas figures. Rawhi Mushtaha, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, claimed Israel’s attempts to hold religious ceremonies at al-Aqsa mosque were dangerous, and warned that Israel’s policies in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem in general and al-Aqsa mosque in particular would  
• lead to an “explosion” (Shehab, October 1, 2022).

   
Right: The rally. Left: Yahya al-Sinwar (center) in the front row (Hamas website, October 1, 2022).

• Various sources reported that on September 26, 2022, for the first time in about 14 months, operatives launched a “limited number” of IED balloons towards Israel to show their support for al-Aqsa mosque. They claimed the balloons carried small charges which exploded in the air a short time after they were launched. Balloons were also launched bearing pictures of the Dome of the Rock and others with notices calling for the “support” of Jerusalem (al-Ayam, September 27, 2022).

Counterterrorism Activities

• This past week the Israeli security forces continued intensive counterterrorism activities in Judea and Samaria as part of Operation Wave Breaker, detaining Palestinians suspected of involvement in terrorist activities and confiscating large quantities of weapons and ammunition:

Counterterrorism activities in Jenin

• On the morning of September 28, 2022, Israeli security forces operated in the Jenin refugee camp to apprehend two wanted residents who had been involved in shooting attacks, including shooting at a defense ministry engineering vehicle near the Jalameh Crossing on September 13, 2022. The two, Abd al-Rahman Hazem, brother of terrorist Raad al-Hazem, who carried out the shooting attack in Tel Aviv, and Muhammad al-Awna, originally from the village of Anza but who recently moved to the Jenin refugee camp, were planning to carry out more terrorist attacks in the near future. They apparently expected the Israeli security forces to arrive and prepared an IED which they placed near a wall of the house they were hiding in. As the forces came to detain them began shooting and detonated the IED. The two terrorists were killed in the exchange of fire and weapons were confiscated. As the forces left the village they were shot at by armed Palestinians (Israel Police Force spokesman’s unit, September 28, 2022). The Jenin Battalion claimed responsibility for detonating the IED (Jenin Battalion  Telegram account, September 28, 2022).

•  According to the ministry of health in Ramallah, the activities in the Jenin refugee camp led to the deaths of four Palestinians (two of them wanted by Israel). They were Abed al-Rahman Fathi Hazem, 27 years old, from the Jenin refugee camp; Muhammad Mahmoud Barahama, 30 years old from the village of Anza, southwest of Jenin; Muhamad Abu Naaseh, 28 years old, from the Jenin refugee camp; and Ahmed Nazmi al-Awneh, 26 years old, from Jenin (ministry of health in Ramallah Facebook page, September 28, 2022; Wafa, September 28, 2022). Reportedly, al-Awneh was an officer the PA military intelligence forces (Palestinian TV Facebook page, September 28, 2022).

   
Ahmed Nazmi al-Awneh in uniform (Right: Palestinian TV Facebook page, September 28, 2022; Left: Facebook page of Mohammad Omer, a relative, September 28, 2022).

• The Jerusalem Brigades, the PIJ’s military-terrorist wing, issued a mourning notice for the four. According to the notice, Abd al-Rahman Fathi Hazem was a founder and commander of the Jerusalem Brigades’ special force in Jenin and the Jenin refugee camp, and responsible for a number of “quality” attacks [sic]. Muhammad Badr Mahmoud Barahama was his deputy, and the other two were killed when Israeli security forces surrounded the house. According to the report, Muhammad Abu Naaseh and Ahmed Nazmi al-Awneh were killed in a clash with IDF forces in the Jenin refugee camp (Jerusalem Brigades website, September 28, 2022).

• The al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades also issued a mourning notice for the four, claiming they were all operatives in its network in the Jenin refugee camp (al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades Telegram channel, September 28, 2022). The Brigades’ Shaheed Battalion issued a notice claiming Abd al-Rahman Hazem had founded the joint operations room in the Jenin refugee camp, Ahmed Nazmi al-Awneh commanded the Shaheed Battalion of the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, and Muhammad al-Awneh was an engineer who specialized in constructing IEDs, and Muhammad Abu Naaseh was the PIJ Jerusalem Brigades’ commander in Jenin (Alam Fatah’s Twitter account, September 28, 2022).

  
Right: Mourning notice issued by the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades affirming that Hazem, al-Waneh and al-Awneh were terrorist network operatives (al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades Telegram channel, September 28, 2022). Left: al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades notice (Alam Fatah’s Twitter account, September 28, 2022).

• During their funeral Maher Turkman showed up and claimed he was one of the operatives who shot at the Israeli bus in the Jordan Valley on September 4, 2022.^[2] He called for the continuation of the “resistance” [terrorist attacks] and for it to close ranks to oppose Israel (Palestine Online, September 28, 2022).

  
Right: Fathi Hazem, father of the two terrorists, makes a statement while standing next to the body of his son which is wrapped in a PIJ flag (Palestine Online Twitter account, September 28, 2022). Left: Terrorist operative Maher Turkman gives a statement during the funeral (Palestine Online, September 28, 2022).

Reaction to the events in the Jenin refugee camp

• Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Mahmoud Abbas, claimed Israel considered the lives of Palestinians as being worthless and damaged Palestinian security and stability with its “policy of escalation.” According to Abu Rudeineh, Israel “continues to exhibit a total disregard for the lives of Palestinians and undermines regional security and stability,” adding it “would neither grant Israel legitimacy nor security, whether at the holy sites in Jerusalem, in Jenin, or anywhere else in the occupied territories” (Wafa, September 28, 2022). PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh claimed the “crime” in Jenin and previous activities were “horrifying” and those who committed them should be tried in the International Criminal Court (Muhammad Shtayyeh’s Facebook page, September 28, 2022). The PA foreign ministry called on the International Criminal Court to end its silence and begin investigating Israel’s activities (Wafa, September 28, 2022). According to Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary of the PLO’s Executive Committee, Israel [allegedly] committed a serious crime in Jenin and was responsible for its consequences (Hussein al-Sheikh’s Twitter account, September 28, 2022).

   
Tawfiq Tirawi, a member of Ramallah’s Central Committee, and Azzam al-Ahmed, a member of the PLO’s Executive Committee, pay a condolence call in the Jenin refugee camp (Alam Fatah Twitter account, September 30, 2022).

• Hamas issued an announcement claiming Israel’s “cowardly” activities would neither be ignored nor bring Israel security. The Palestinians, who had announced a mobilization to “defend” al-Aqsa mosque and repel “aggression,” would continue to “resist” with all the means at their disposal (Hamas website, September 28, 2022). Saleh al-‘Arouri, deputy chairman of Hamas’ political bureau, said all the rifles in the West Bank should be aimed at Israel and the settlers. He claimed the “resistance” [terrorist] operatives in the West Bank had established a new “equation,” according to which every act of “aggression” against al-Aqsa mosque would be answered with gunfire and “heroic actions” [terrorist attacks during which the perpetrators might be killed]. He also called on the operatives in the PA’s security forces to participate in the armed “struggle” against Israel (Hamas website, September 28, 2022). PIJ leader Ziyad al-Nakhalah said they would but sit idly by but would respond to “Israel’s crimes” in Jenin and the West Bank (PIJ website, September 28, 2022).

Counterterrorism activities in Nablus

• On September 25, 2022, the Israeli security forces operating near Nablus ambushed an armed squad which had recently carried out a series of attacks. The squad belonged to a terrorist network calling itself the Lion Cubs. The Israeli security forces identified a motorcycle and vehicle driving in a suspicious fashion on a road near the Samarian neighborhood in Nablus. The forces saw they were armed, identified them as the squad which was the target of their ambush and opened fire. The motorcyclist was killed and the others escaped (IDF spokesman, September 25, 2022). The ministry of health in Ramallah reported the death of Saed Adnan Izzat al-Koni, 23 years old (ministry of health in Ramallah Facebook page, September 25, 2022). The Lion Cubs issued a mourning notice for him claiming his as one of their operatives (al-Quds, September 25, 2022). Reportedly, he was the fifth Lion Cubs’ operative to be killed (aljazeera.net, September 25, 2022). The al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades also issued a mourning notice for him, claiming him as one of their Nablus operatives (al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades Telegram channel, September 25, 2022). Fatah’s official Facebook page represented him as an al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades/Lion Cub operative (Fatah Facebook page, September 25, 2022).
• The PA foreign ministry condemned what it called an infiltration of IDF forces into Area A, claiming the government of Israel was fully and directly responsible for the [alleged] “crime.” It added that Israel’s ongoing “evasion of punishment” encouraged it to commit further “crimes’ and gave the IDF and the settlers the feeling they were protected and immune (Wafa, September 25, 2022). Hamas said in an announcement that Nablus sacrificed the best of its young people and jihad fighters [terrorist operatives], confronted and fought against the “occupation” for the sake of al-Aqsa mosque, and was a role model for deterring the “Zionist occupation” and leading the Palestinians [to attain] their rights (Hamas website, September 25, 2022).

   
Right: Mourning notice issued by the Lion Cubs (Facebook page of Alaa Shakhshir, a relative of Saed al-Koni, September 25, 2022). Left: Mourning notice issued by the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades (al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades Telegram channel, September 25, 2022).

Other events

• Palestinians rioted during a Border Police activity in al-E’izaria, southeast of Jerusalem, throwing rocks, IEDs and Molotov cocktails and the forces, who responded with riot-control measures (Israeli TV Channel 13, October 1, 2022). The ministry of health in Ramallah reported the death of Fayiz Khaled Damdum, 18 years old, shot and killed while riding a motorcycle near the al-Mourabitoun Mosque in al-E’izaria (Wafa, October 1, 2022).

• On September 30, 2022, a wanted Palestinian was detained in an Israeli security force activity in the Jilazoun refugee camp. Local residents rioted, throwing rocks and an IED at the forces. Two Palestinians drove a vehicle at the forces, who responded with gunfire (IDF spokesman, September 30, 2022).
• On September 29, 2022, Palestinian medical sources reported the death of Riyan Yasser Suleiman, 7 years old, in Teqoa, southeast of Bethlehem. Reportedly, IDF soldiers went to the family house to interrogate the father because two of Riyan’s brothers were suspected of throwing rocks on their way home from school. After the interrogation Riyan, who had been on the second floor, was found dead. Initially it was thought he had fallen from a higher floor (ministry of health in Ramallah Facebook page, September 29, 2022). However, according to a later version the cause of death was unknown, possibly a heart attack. The IDF spokesman reported that no connection had been found between his death and IDF activity (IDF spokesman, September 29, 2022). After the funeral riots broke out and local residents attacked Israeli security forces. The PA foreign ministry issued a condemnation of the version according to which the child fell to his death. Hamas condemned his death [sic] and the escalation of “occupation” terrorism against Palestinian children (al-Risalah, September 29, 2022). The United States and the EU called on Israel to investigate the circumstances of his death.

• On September 27, 2022, Israeli security forces detained four Palestinians in the villages of Kafr Ra’i and Qaffin, southwest of Jenin, who were wanted on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities. During the detentions they found M-16 rifles (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, September 25, 2022).

• On September 24, 2022, an attempt made in the Jordan Valley to smuggle 34 handguns and handgun parts was prevented by the Israeli security forces (IDF spokesman, September 24, 2022).

   
Confiscated weapons (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, September 24, 2022).

• On September 23, 2022, Israeli security forces operating in the Umm Daraj area detained a Palestinian suspected of carrying out the shooting attack at the Carmel yeshiva on September 15, 2022. Before he was apprehended the forces located the M-16 rifle used in the attack (IDF spokesman, September 23, 2022).

 
Right: IDF fighters detain the Palestinian suspected of carrying out the attack. Left: The M-16 located by the fighters (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, September 23, 2022).

Palestinian reactions to the events

• Given the tense situation, Mahmoud Abbas called a meeting of the heads of the Palestinian security forces and PA districts to assess security. An overall picture of the situation in the districts was presented and the activities of the Palestinian security forces were reviewed. Mahmoud Abbas noted the need to enforce law, order and security, and to protect the Palestinian people and their institutions (Wafa, September 30, 2022).

Mahmoud Abbas held a meeting of Fatah’s Central Committee where he condemned the [alleged] “Israeli escalation” against the Palestinian people. He said escalation and “the desire for Palestinian blood” were “merchandise for the election market in Israel,” and that they would not permit them to continue (Wafa, September 30, 2022).

• Saleh al-‘Arouri, deputy chairman of Hamas’ political bureau, said in an interview that the West Bank was “boiling” and the “resistance” [terrorism] was escalating dramatically. He claimed it was because the Palestinian people lived under an occupation that threatened its presence. He claimed that signs of a new intifada could already be seen in the West Bank in the unity on the battlefield. He also said Hamas was prepared to support “all forms of resistance,” which had to be strengthened to prevent Israel from carrying out its plans (al-Aqsa TV, September 29, 2022).
• Senior PIJ figure Muhammad al-Hindi said the “struggle” against Israel was currently taking place in the West Bank and no one wanted a confrontation in the Gaza Strip. Regarding the two-state solution he said there was no political horizon, no such thing as a two-state solution, claimed Israel was “Judaizing” the West Bank and that there was an atmosphere of “resistance and escalation.” He also said the PIJ regarded Hamas as important for the Palestinian “resistance” and without it the situation in the Gaza Strip would be similar to that in the West Bank (al-Araby al-Jadeed, September 21, 2022).

Apprehension of Hamas terrorist network in Ramallah

• The Israeli security forces apprehended a network of Hamas student operatives in Birzeit University. Interrogation of the suspects revealed they were in contact with senior Hamas figures in Turkey and the Gaza Strip. They smuggled funds from Turkey to Gaza, which were then transferred to Ramallah by Gazans who could enter Israel either for humanitarian reasons or because they had work permits. The students had credit cards which they used to withdraw funds to finance terrorist activity (Israeli Security Agency website, September 29, 2022).

Rocket and mortar shell fire into Israel

• Since the ceasefire of August 8, 2022, no rocket or mortar shell hits have been identified in Israeli territory.

Monthly Distribution of Rocket and Mortar Shell Fire since January 2020

Annual Distribution of Rocket Hits

Attempted infiltration of Israel by sea

• On the night of September 27, 2022, a Palestinian from the Gaza Strip was detected swimming along Israel’s southern naval border. A navy boat was dispatched and detained the swimmer, who was unarmed. He was taken for interrogation (Israeli media, September 28, 2022).

Increasing the number of work permits for Gazans

• On September 22, 2022, after a security assessment, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz increased the number of work and business entrance permits for Gazans by 1,500, bringing the total to 17,000. The permits will go into effect after Rosh Hashana, on the condition of continued security on the ground (Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, September 22, 2022).

Shehab Square opened in western Gaza City

• On September 21, 2022, Hamas’ military-terrorist wing unveiled a square in western part of Gaza City, located on the shore near the port of Gaza. It features a Shehab UAV (Palestine Online, September 21, 2022; Quds Press, September 21, 2022). A speech was given by Iyad Abu Fanunah, an Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades operative and released prisoner, who said that the UAVs and other weapons manufactured by Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades operatives would pave the road to liberation [sic] (Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades website, September 21,  2022).

   
The new square in Gaza City (Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades website, September 21, 2022).

Explosion in Jerusalem Brigades post

• Iyad al-Buzum, spokesman for the ministry of the interior in Gaza, said a chance explosion occurred in a “resistance” post in the Khan Yunis district, injuring a number of people (ministry of health in Gaza Twitter account, September 21, 2022). Websites reported two people had been injured in the Jerusalem Brigades’ Hittin post in Khan Yunis. A source in the Nasser Hospital reported that two people had been hospitalized, one in critical condition (Ultra Palestine website, September 21, 2022; SahemPress Facebook page, September 21, 2022).

Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi dies

• On September 26, 2022, Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi died at the age of 96 in Doha, Qatar. He was considered one of the greatest Muslim religious authorities and the spiritual and ideological mentor of the Muslim Brotherhood movement. He described himself as “moderate.” He opposed al-Qaeda and ISIS and their methods. However, he also opposed the existence of the State of Israel, regarded all the lands of “Palestine” as Muslim and rejected peace treaties with Israel. He also supported Hamas, opposed the PA and in the past called for the removal of Mahmoud Abbas. In 2013 he visited the Gaza Strip and met with Isma’il Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau.^[3] He supported Palestinian terrorism, including suicide bombing attacks targeting civilians. He issued fatwas calling for “jihad” against Israel and the Jews, and permitted suicide bombing attacks, even if the victims were women and children.
• Hamas issued a mourning notice for him, stating his life had been one of jihad, sacrifice, meditation, da’wah [spreading Islam] and education, adding that he had “carried the flag of defending the Palestinian cause” throughout the world, and at his center in Jerusalem and al-Aqsa mosque. According to the notice, “Palestine,” Jerusalem and al-Aqsa “promised” him they would fulfill his message and instructions because they would continue along his path until his wishes and the wishes of the Palestinians and of the entire Muslim nation had come true for the liberation of “Palestine,” Jerusalem and al-Aqsa mosque [sic] (Hamas website, September 26, 2022).
• A Hamas delegation headed by Isma’il Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau; Khaled Mashaal, external Hamas chairman; and members of Hamas’ political bureau, including Musa Abu Marzouq, Khalil al-Haya Izzat al-Rishq and Husam Badran, attended the funeral in Doha. Hamas eulogized al-Qaradawi, saying he had focused on three key aspects of the Palestinian cause: adherence to “Palestine” without making any concessions, “jihad and resistance” [terrorism,] as the path to liberation; and the Palestinian cause as the cause of the entire Muslim nation, not only the Palestinian people. Haniyeh promised they would follow in his footsteps (Hamas website, September 27, 2022).

   
Senior Hamas figures at al-Qaradawi’s funeral in the Muhammad bin Abd al-Wahhab Mosque in Doha (Hamas website, September 27, 2022).

• The PIJ issued a mourning notice stating al-Qaradawi had dedicated his life to defending the Palestinian cause and supporting the Palestinians’ right to “resistance” [the destruction of the State of Israel] (PIJ website, September 26, 2022).
• A mourning tent for al-Qaradawi was erected in Gaza City in the Square of the Unknown Soldier (Palestine Online Twitter account, September 27, 2022). The Hamas monitoring committee decided to name a school belonging to the ministry of endowments after al-Qaradawi (Shehab, September 28, 2022).

   
The mourning tent erected for al-Qaradawi in the Square of the Unknown Soldier in Gaza City (Palestine Online Twitter account, September 27, 2022).

Mahmoud Abbas’ speech before the UN General Assembly

• On September 23, 2022, Mahmoud Abbas gave his annual speech at the UN General Assembly, the day after the speech given by Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid. The content of Abbas’ speech was similar to that of years past. He claimed the Palestinian people wanted peace and a direct dialogue with Israel. The rest of the speech was devoted to militant, detailed criticism of Israel and its policies, complaints, demands. He threatened Israel, as he has every year, to end relations at the bilateral level and also threatened the international community. He did not directly mention the tension in Judea and Samaria and promised to “fight terrorism.”

• Some of the issues Mahmoud Abbas addressed were the following (Wafa, September 23, 2022):
  • The two-state solution: “I listened… [to] what…Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid…said in support of the two-State solution, and this is positive. The real test of the seriousness and credibility of this position is for the Israeli government to sit at the negotiating table immediately to implement the two-State solution on the basis of the relevant United Nations resolutions…,” adding that “Israel…has decided not to be our partner in the peace process …[and] has premeditated and determined to destroy the two-state solution, which proves with conclusive evidence that they do not believe in peace…”
  • Relations with Israel: “The settlers now constitute about…25% of the total population in the West Bank and Jerusalem,” and the Palestinians will not accept a situation in which they are the only side that adheres to agreements while Israel violates them and leaves the Palestinians no choice but to “reconsider the entire relationship with Israel.” He threatened to cut off relations with Israel and the international community.
  • Jerusalem and the holy sites: He accused Israel of threatening the sites holy to Islam and Christianity, especially in Jerusalem.
  • Appeal to the UN: He renewed the Palestinians’ request for full membership in the UN, and would “also initiate procedures for joining other international organizations, particularly the Intellectual Property Organization, the World Health Organization, and the International Civil Aviation Organization.” [Note: Full membership would allow the Palestinians to try to get resolutions passed in the General Assembly, where the United States does not have the power to veto them.]
  • Appeal to the international community: He called on “Britain, America and Israel to acknowledge their responsibility for this great crime committed against our people [the Balfour Declaration, British Mandate and establishment of the State of Israel], apologize and make reparations, and provide compensation to the Palestinian people as recognized by international law.” He also called on the international community “to put these [Israeli] terrorist organizations on the lists of global terrorism.”
• Hamas criticized the speech. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said it was inconsistent with the Palestinian people’s “revolution” against Israel (the “occupation”) because the first thing Mahmoud Abbas should have done was to declare his support for the Palestinian people’s choice [i.e., “resistance”] and to stop acting in accordance with agreements [made with Israel], including security coordination. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum called it a defeatist speech with nothing new, and claimed Mahmoud Abbas had arrived at the UN isolated both nationally and politically. He also said the only consequence of the speech would be “the continuation of Judaization and the occupation” (al-Risalah, September 24, 2022).

Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) conference in New York

• Muhammad Shtayyeh attended the AHLC conference in New York along with 30 other representatives of countries from around the world. He gave a speech about the damage done by Israel to the Palestinian economy, noting that the reforms they intended to put in place would not resolve their [economic] hardships because the “occupation” was the source of all their difficulties (Muhammad Shtayyeh’s Facebook page, September 23, 2022). Shukri Bishara, Palestinian minister of the treasury, speaking via video conference, reviewed the PA’s difficult financial situation, which he blamed on the funds Israel deducts from the tax revenues it collects for the Palestinians. He called for an immediate end to Israel’s deductions and demanded the Paris Agreement be amended to allow Israel to be tried in court. He said this year the PA had not taken loans from Palestinian banks to be able to reduce its debt, and that as of August 2022 it had lowered its debt from $2.5 billion to $2.3 billion.

• Shtayyeh said the conference’s summary announcement called on Israel to improve the situation on the ground and hinted that Israel was not meeting its past obligations. The summary also called for a review of the Paris Agreement and advised increasing financial aid to the PA in order to strengthen it (Muhammad Shtayyeh’s Facebook page, September 23, 2022).

Reactions to the British prime minister’s announcement about relocating the embassy to Jerusalem

• In a meeting with the Israeli prime minister, British Prime Minister Liz Truss said she was examining the relocation of the British embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The Palestinian organizations condemned the announcement. Sabri Sidam, deputy secretary of Fatah’ Central Committee, claimed Britain had a historical commitment to the Palestinian people after having issued the Balfour Declaration, and that it had to recognize a Palestinian state. He said Britain’s decision to relocate its embassy would be a historic slap in the face for the Palestinian people (Sawa, September 22, 2022). Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said Hamas viewed the relocation of the British embassy to Jerusalem as a new crime against the Palestinian people and a gross violation of international law, and would escalate hostility against Britain (Dunia al-Watan, September 22, 2022). PIJ spokesman Tareq Salami said they condemned Britain’s intention and the Palestinians had to take a united stand (Filastin al-Yawm, September 22, 2022).

Results of the third-quarter opinion poll

• Khalil Shqaqi’s Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCR) issued the results of its third-quarter public opinion poll, conducted between September 13 and 17, 2022, in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip. “The results of the third quarter of 2022 show…the gap between Fatah and Hamas is now two percentage points in favor of Fatah while, three months ago, it was one point in favor of Hamas. Similarly, the gap in the popularity of president Abbas vs. Ismail Haniyyeh has now narrowed to 15 percentage points in favor of Haniyyeh while, three months ago, it was 22 points in favor of Haniyyeh” (PCR website, October 2, 2022).

Rocks, Molotov cocktails and other attacks

• In Judea, Samaria and east Jerusalem Palestinians continued throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at Israeli vehicles driving on the roads. The more prominent events were the following:^[4]
  • October 2, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus in Azoun, east of Qalqilya. No casualties were reported; the bus was damaged.
  • October 2, 2022: Rocks were thrown from a passing car at an Israeli vehicle south of Ofra, northeast of Ramallah. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • October 2, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Itamar. South of Nablus. One person was injured; damage was reported.
  • October 2, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle north of the Shiloh Junction, northeast of Ramallah. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • October 2, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle in Arab Teqoa, southeast of Bethlehem. One person was injured and the windshield and body the vehicle were damaged.
  • October 1, 2022: Rock were thrown at an Israeli bus at the same location southeast of Bethlehem. No casualties were reported; the windshield of the bus was damaged.
  • September 30, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle in Hawwara, south of Nablus. No casualties were reported; the windshield of the vehicle was damaged.
  • September 30, 2022: Rocks were thrown from a passing car at an Israeli vehicle on Route 60. No casualties or damage were reported. Two suspects, residents of Sinjil, northeast of Ramallah, were detained by police who halter their vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a concrete block they were apparently planning to throw (Israel Police Force spokesman’s unit, September 30, 2022).

• • September 29, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus near the Beitar Junction, west of Bethlehem. The driver was injured by flying glass and the front windshield was damaged.
  • September 28, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle in the village of Husan near Beitar, west of Bethlehem. One person was injured by flying glass and the front windshield was damaged.
  • September 28, 2022: A bottle of paint was thrown at an Israeli bus east of Adora, west of Bethlehem. No casualties were reported; the windshield of the bus was damaged.
  • September 28, 2022: Rocks were thrown from a passing car at Israeli vehicles on the Gilad road, southwest of Nablus. A truck driver was injured and the truck was damaged.
  • September 28, 2022: A Molotov cocktail was thrown at an IDF jeep between Yitzhar and the Jit Junction, southwest of Nablus. No casualties were reported; the jeep was damaged.
  • September 28, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle on the Gush Etzion-Hebron road, south of the Carmit Tzur Junction, north of Hebron. No casualties were reported; the windshield of the vehicle was damaged.
  • September 27, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle north of the Benyamin industrial zone, southeast of Ramallah. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • September 25, 2022: An IED was placed at the entrance to the Kedumim gas station, west of Nablus. No casualties were reported. The IED did not explode and was detonated by a demolitions expert.
  • September 22, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus near Halhul, north of Hebron. No casualties were reported; the bus was damaged.
  • September 20, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between Migdalim and Tapuah, south of Nablus. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • September 20, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus near Adam, southeast of Ramallah. No casualties were reported; the bus was damaged.
  • September 20, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between Naveh Yair and Naveh Tzuf, northwest of Ramallah. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • September 20, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus north of the Ma’aleh Amos Junction, south of Bethlehem. No casualties were reported; the bus was damaged.