News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (November 3 – 9, 2021)

Attacks and attempted attacks

•  On November 7, 2021, a Palestinian woman walked to the vehicle crossing at a roadblock in Qalandiya where she told the security guards she wanted to commit suicide. The Israeli security forces detained her. A search revealed she was carrying a knife. The woman, who was about 60 years old, lived in the Qalandiya refugee camp (Israel Police Force spokesman’s unit, November 7, 2021).

• On November 6, 2021, a Palestinian drove to the checkpoint near Avnei Hefetz in northern Samaria. He exited his vehicle holding a knife and ran towards the soldiers at the location. He was detained (Rescue Without Borders in Judea and Samaria, November 6, 2021).
•  On November 6, 2021, during an Israeli security force activity near Jenin, the soldiers saw a vehicle driving towards them that aroused their suspicion. A handgun and ammunition magazine were thrown from the vehicle. Three men in their 20s from Jenin were detained and taken for interrogation (Israel Police Force spokesman’s unit, November 6, 2021).

• On November 5, 2021, shots were fired at an IDF post near Ramallah. Investigation revealed that a Palestinian had exited his vehicle near the post and fired several shots at it. No casualties were reported. IDF forces combed the area for him (IDF spokesman, November 5, 2021).
• On November 2, 2021, an armed Palestinian went to a bus stop at the Efrat Junction in Gush Etzion and attempted to fire a gun at civilians standing there. The gun malfunctioned, did not fire and he fled.

Palestinian youth killed in a clash with the Israeli security forces

• During clashes between rioting Palestinians and Israeli security forces in the village of Dir al-Hatab, east of Nablus, Palestinians threw rocks at the IDF soldiers. The soldiers responded with riot control measures and also fired live ammunition (IDF spokesman, November 5, 2021), and a Palestinian youth was shot and killed.
• The Palestinian media reported he was Muhammad Dadas, 15, from the Ascar refugee camp in Nablus. Senior Palestinian figures condemned Israel. PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh claimed Israel had “executed” the child and called on the international community to restrain Israel. Mahmoud Abbas spoke on the phone with the boy’s father and offered his condolences (Mahmoud Abbas’ Facebook page, November 7, 2021). The PIJ claimed in a formal announcement that the boy belonged to its youth movement in the Ascar refugee camp (Jerusalem Brigades website, November 6, 2021). Hamas and PIJ spokesmen said Israel was responsible for his death and called on the PA to end its security coordination with Israel (QudsN, November 6, 2021).
• During the funeral held for Muhammad Dadas, Palestinians waved Fatah, Hamas and PIJ flags. His body was carried by operatives from the PA’s military intelligence, who were later joined by armed operatives who fired guns into the air. Mourners chanted anti-Israeli slogans and demanded revenge for his death (al-Ghad TV, November 6, 2021). The funeral was widely covered by the Palestinian media. The EU also issued a condemnation which was also widely covered by the Palestinian media.
• Muhammad Dadas’ father Amjad Dadas boasted of his son’s “bravery” in clashes with IDF forces. He claimed that during Operation Guardian of the Walls (May 2021) he often participated in confrontations with IDF forces at the Hawwara roadblock (Safa, November 6, 2021). His mother told QudsN TV that her son often participated in confrontations and other events (QudsN Twitter account, November 9, 2021). According to his cousin, Muhammad had brought great honor to the family and had always wanted to be a shaheed (Filastin al-Yawm, November 6, 2021).

   
Right: The military-style funeral held in the Nablus refugee camp (Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, November 6, 2021). Left: Hamas flags waved during the funeral (QudsN, November 6, 2021).

Rocks, Molotov cocktails and other events

• In Judea and Samaria Palestinians continued throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at Israeli driving on the roads. The more prominent events were the following:^[1]
  • November 9, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Luban al-Sharqia, northeast of Ramallah. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • November 8, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Beit Hagai, south of Hebron. No casualties were reported. The vehicle was damaged.
  • November 8, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between Hermesh and Dotan, west of Jenin. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • November 8, 2021: Rocks were thrown at the Karmei Tsur (north of Hebron) during a Palestinian riot. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • November 8, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle south of the Ma’aleh Amos Junction, southeast of Bethlehem. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • November 7, 2021: Molotov cocktails were thrown at an Israeli vehicle on the Gush Etzion-Hebron road. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • November 6, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between Hermesh and Dotan, west of Jenin. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • November 6, 2021: Rocks were thrown from a passing motorcycle at an Israeli bus on the Jericho bypass road near the eastern entrance to Jericho. A passenger was injured by flying glass from a window shattered by a rock.
  • November 6, 2021: A Molotov cocktail was thrown at an Israeli vehicle on the Gush Etzion-Hebron road near the Karmei Yosef Junction. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • November 5, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle on the Gush Etzion-Hebron road near Bayt Umar. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • November 5, 2021: Rocks were thrown during a riot near Qalqilya, injuring an Israeli soldier. No damages were reported.
  • November 5, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between Azun and Ma’aleh Shomrom, east of Qalqilya. No casualties were reported. The vehicle was damaged.
  • November 5, 2021: A Molotov cocktail was thrown between the al-Khader Junction and the Tunnel Roadblock, west of Bethlehem. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • November 4, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus between Adam and Hizma, northeast of Jerusalem. A man was injured.
  • November 4, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus near Hawwara, south of Nablus. No casualties were reported. A bus window was damaged.
  • November 4, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between Azun and Ma’aleh Shomrom. No casualties were reported. The vehicle was damaged.
  • November 4, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near the Adam Interchange. No casualties were reported. The windshield of the vehicle was damaged.
  • November 4, 2021: An IED was placed at the side of the road to Homesh, northwest of Nablus. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • November 3, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between Hermesh and Dotan, west of Jenin. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • November 3, 2021: Two bottles and a plastic bag of paint were thrown at an IDF force near Mevo Dotan, southwest of Jenin. No casualties were reported.
  • November 2, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near the Halhul Junction, north of Hebron. No casualties were reported. The vehicle was damage.
  • November 2, 2021: Rocks were thrown at an IDF vehicle near Jiftliq, east of Nablus. One soldier was injured.

Significant Terrorist Attacks in Judea and Samaria since January 2020^[2]

Five Palestinian NGOs outlawed in Judea and Samaria

• The commander of the IDF’s Central Command signed an order outlawing five of the six Palestinian NGO designated by Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz as terrorist organizations. The sixth organization, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC), had already been outlawed in January 2020. The significance of the order is that Israel can close the NGO’s offices, seize their funds and take legal action against their employees (IDF spokesman, November 7, 2021).^[3]

Rocket and mortar shell fire into Israel

• This past week no rocket or mortar shell hits were identified in Israeli territory.

Monthly Distribution of Rocket and Mortar Shell Fire since January 2020

Annual Distribution of Rocket Hits

Hamas UAV intercepted

• On November 8, 2021, The IDF’s aerial defense unit identified a Hamas UAV launched from the Gaza Strip which approached the Gaza maritime zone, where the Iron Dome aerial defense system intercepted it.

Fuel deliveries from Qatar renewed

• On November 9, 2021, after no fuel had been delivered for a week (due to factors unrelated to Israel), the deliveries of fuel from Qatar through the Kerem Shalom Crossing for the Gaza Strip power station were renewed. They were renewed after the Gaza Strip energy authority announced the supply of electricity to Gazans was liable to be adversely affected if fuel were not delivered (Sawa, November 8, 2021).

Possible increase in number exit permits for the Rafah Crossing

• During a PIJ delegation visit to Egypt, senior PIJ figure Khader Habib said the PIJ and Egypt had discussed increasing the number of exit permits from the Gaza Strip through the Rafah Crossing. He said Egyptian security had promised to give the issue serious consideration (Sabaq24, November 8, 2021).

Fully equipped ambulances delivered to the Gaza Strip

• On November 8, 2021, 37 fully equipped ambulances entered the Gaza Strip through the Rafah Crossing. They were donated by a variety of international institutions and organizations and entered the Gaza Strip in coordination with the Miles of Smiles organization (Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, November 8, 2021).

   
Ambulances delivered to the Gaza Strip
(Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, November 8, 2021).

UNRWA’s financial difficulties

• Adnan Abu Hasna, UNRWA spokesman in the Gaza Strip, said the agency’s financial situation was dire and there was a deficit of $100 million. He said UNRWA had invested efforts to solve its financial crisis but the situation was still serious. He said several European countries had significantly reduced their financial support: Britain, for example, had cut its donations in half, which threatened UNRWA’s ability to provide services and pay the salaries of its employees. He made the statements in a speech given at a meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC), which serves a mechanism to assist development in the Palestinian territories (al-Quds, November 7, 2021).

Hamas criticizes support of Israeli Arab Knesset members for Israel’s budget

• Musa Abu Marzouq, a member of the Hamas political bureau, criticized the Israeli Arab Knesset members for supporting the Israeli government budget. He said they had to oppose the budget because it enabled Israel to continue construction in Judea and Samaria and impose a “siege” on the Gaza Strip. He said the Israeli Arab Knesset members had to act against Israel (“the occupation”) though struggle, not integration and coexistence (al-Quds, November 6, 2018).

Mahmoud Abbas’ visit to Italy

•   While in Italy Mahmoud Abbas met with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Maria Draghi. They discussed Israel’s activities in east Jerusalem against religious sites and strengthening bilateral Italian-PA relations (Mahmoud Abbas’ Facebook page, November 3, 2021). On November 4, 2021, Mahmoud Abbas was granted an audience with the Pope. Mahmoud Abbas exploited the opportunity to elaborate on Israel’s activities in Judea, Samaria and east Jerusalem, explaining to the Pope the importance of preventing the takeover of churches in Jerusalem, especially in east Jerusalem (Mahmoud Abbas’ Facebook page, November 4, 2021).

  
Right: Mahmoud Abbas with the Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi (Mahmoud Abbas’ Facebook page, November 3, 2021). Left: Mahmoud Abbas receives an audience with the Pope (Wafa, November 4, 2021).

Mahmoud Abbas to visit Russia

• Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki said Mahmoud Abbas expected to visit Russia on November 23, 2021 (Sabaq24, November 8, 2021). In light of the announcement, according to reports, while deposed Fatah figure Muhammad Dahlan was in Russia he asked Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to exert pressure on Mahmoud Abbas to return him (and his followers in the reform movement) to the ranks of Fatah. The reason was his desire to strengthen his status in Fatah and have a significant chance to inherit the position of PA chairman. Dahlan was in Russia to exert pressure, along with intra-Arab pressure, to unite the ranks of Fatah before the Fatah movement holds its conference on March 21, 2022 (al-Akhbar, November 5, 2021).

Sheikh Jarrah residents reject the Israeli Supreme Court ruling

• The residents of the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah decided to reject the compromise offered by the Israeli Supreme Court according. According to the offer, the Palestinian families living in the neighborhood would recognize the right of the Jewish owners to their houses, and in return would be granted the status of protected tenants, paying rent to the association that purchased the land on which the houses were built. They families said their refusal was based on their faith in the justice of their cause despite the lack of concrete guarantees to strengthen Palestinian presence in “occupied Jerusalem.” On November 5, 2021, dozens of Palestinians demonstrated in Sheikh Jarrah in solidarity with the families’ decision (Ynet, November 5, 2021).
• Hamas and the PIJ strengthened the resolve of the Sheikh Jarrah residents and threatened they would escalate their “struggle” against Israel if the Court ruled in favor of evicting the residents (al-Akhbar, November 6, 2021). Isma’il Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau, who exerted pressure on the residents to reject the compromise, praised the Sheikh Jarrah residents for their stance, saying the Palestinian people and the “resistance” [i.e., the terrorist organizations] stood behind them. He said the residents had shown “historic responsibility” and expressed their determination to retain their land (al-Aqsa, November 3, 2021). PIJ spokesman in Judea and Samaria Tareq al-Din praised the Sheikh Jarrah residents, calling them the “spearhead of the struggle against the Judaizing [of Jerusalem].” He called their refusal “a religious national decision,” and called for an increase in Arab and Islamic efforts to support the firm stance of the residents of east Jerusalem (Telegram channel of the PIJ’s information bureau, November 2, 2021). A source in the “Palestinian resistance” said the organizations were closely following events in Sheikh Jarrah and would escalate their struggle against Israel if the Court ruled in favor of the eviction of the Palestinian families (al-Akhbar, not 2, 2021).

Palestinian reactions to Israeli Prime Minister Bennet’s statement regarding reopening the American consulate in east Jerusalem

• On November 6, 2021, Israeli Prime Minister told a press conference it was out of the question that an American consulate open in Jerusalem to serve the Palestinians and that he had presented that position to the Americans. The Palestinian media quoted him and his remarks led many Palestinian to respond.
• Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Mahmoud Abbas, said the Palestinian leadership would accept nothing less than the reopening of the American consulate in east Jerusalem, the “capital of Palestine” [sic]. He said the American administration had already confirmed its commitment to progress with reopening the consulate, and had formally updated the Palestinians, who expected the measure would be implemented in the near future. Nabil Abu Rudeineh also said the challenge Israel posed to the American administration and the international community again stressed it had turned into an entity which had insulated itself from historical processes (al-Hayat al-Jadeeda, November 7, 2021). At the weekly meeting PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh said the remarks made by the Israeli prime minister regarding Jerusalem and the American consulate were unacceptable and no one agreed with them. The government announced it would hold next week’s meeting in the Jerusalem district [instead of Ramallah] (Wafa, November 8, 2021)/

• The PA foreign ministry said in a statement that Naftali Bennett’s declarations challenged American administration rulings and policy. The United States, he said, had often declared its objection to construction in the settlements and its intention to reopen its consulate in east Jerusalem. Riyad al-Maliki said the Bennett government was worse than its predecessor in everything related to the Palestinian cause, especially the settlements, confiscating land, destroying buildings and attacking the rights of the Palestinians (Voice of Palestine Radio, November 7, 2021).
• Hussein al-Sheikh, minister of civilian affairs, said Bennett’s statements were a new Israeli government challenge for the Biden administration, which had announced its intention to reopen the American consulate in east Jerusalem (Hussein al-Sheikh’s Twitter account, November 7, 2021).

The World Bank warns of the worsening PA financial situation

• The World Bank issued a report which will be presented to a conference of donor nations which is supposed to be held on November 17, 2021. The report cautions that the financial situation in the PA is such that it will not be able to meet its obligations or provide services in the current year if Israel does not stop deducting funds from the tax revenues it collects for the PA. According to the report, despite the increase in the PA’s income, it still faces many financial challenges and its debt for the 2021 calendar year is liable to reach $1.36 billion (Safa, November 9, 2021).

Palestinian plans to sue Israel in the International Criminal Court (ICC)

• The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP)^[4] announced it had begun, along with the International Federation of Journalists and the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, to take the necessary measures to undertake legal action against Israel in the ICC for its [alleged] “systematic attack on Palestinian journalists” (Arabi21, November 2, 2021).
• Turkish lawyers lodged a complaint against senior Israeli figures including former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kokhavi, and IDF spokesman in Arabic Lieutenant Colonel Avihai Edri for attacks on Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip in May 2021 (Operation Guardian of the Walls). The complaint will be presented to the chief prosecutor in Istanbul in the names of seven civilians who were killed (Daily Sabah, November 2, 2021).

Judea and Samaria

• According to the ministry of health in Ramallah, as of November 9, 2021, there were 1,164 active cases in Judea and Samaria, down from 1,356 on November 2, 2021, 48 in ICUs, 20 of whom were on ventilators. So far 2,860 Palestinians have died in Judea and Samaria of coronavirus-related conditions. The number of fully (two doses) vaccinated Palestinians is 1,003,292, up from 981,875 on November 2, 2021 (ministry of health in Ramallah Facebook page, November 9, 2021).
• Mai al-Kayla, PA minister of health, told the weekly PA government meeting that the numbers of active cases, hospitalized patients and deaths were declining, while the number Palestinians who had received two doses of the vaccine was increasing (ministry of health in Ramallah Facebook page, November 8, 2021).

The Gaza Strip

• On November 9, 2021, the ministry of health in Gaza reported there were 2,595 active cases in the Gaza Strip, down from 3,268 on November 2, 2021. Of the 881 tests administered between November 8 and 9, 2021, the results of 145 were positive, a positive rate of 16%. So far 1,605 Gazans have died, up from 581 on November 2, 2021. There are were Gazans in hospitals, 56 in serious or critical condition. There were 486,374 vaccinated Gazans, up from 477,733 on November 2, 2021 (ministry of health in Gaza Facebook page, November 9, 2021).