News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (July 18 –24, 2018)

Events on the ground

• On July 22, 2018, during an Israeli security force activity to detain suspects in the Dheishe refugee camp in Bethlehem, the force detained two terrorist operatives and discovered a lathe used in the manufacture of weapons. During the activity Palestinians threw stones, IEDs and Molotov cocktails at the soldiers, who used riot control measures and live fire. One Palestinian was killed. The IDF is examining the circumstances of his death (IDF spokesperson, July 22, 2018). The Palestinian media reported that the Palestinian fatality was Arkan Thayeir Muzhir, 15, from the Dheishe refugee camp. His body was wrapped for burial in a Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) flag and carried on the shoulders of masked PFLP operatives (Shehab Twitter account, July 23, 2018).

Significant terrorist attacks during the past year ^[3]

The crossings

• The Kerem Shalom Crossing, which was closed following the escalation in the Gaza Strip, reopened for partial activity on July 24, 2018, according to a decision made by Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman. Fuel and cooking gas is now allowed into the Gaza Strip, as well as food and medicines. The activity at the crossing will be monitored during the coming days in coordination with terrorist activities along the Gaza border (Walla!, July 24, 2018).
• After having been closed for two days “because of technical problems” at the same time as the Kerem Shalom Crossing was closed, on July 18, 2018, the Rafah Crossing reopened. The Egyptian authorities announced it would close on July 23, 2018, for the anniversary of the Egyptian revolution, and reopen on July 24, 2018 (al-Youm al-Sabaa, July 22, 2018).

The humanitarian situation

• The Hamas-controlled energy authority announced it would shut down the power station on July 23, 2018. The shutdown was caused by the lack of diesel fuel necessary for its operation, following the closing of the Kerem Shalom Crossing. The 12 megawatt electric line, which provides electricity from Israel to Gaza City, has not been operational for a number of days. In addition, the electric lines from Egypt have not been operational for five months. Therefore, the total amount of electricity available for the Gaza Strip is 108 megawatts, which are supplied by nine lines from Israel. The electric company in the Gaza Strip reported it was making efforts to provide electricity in cycles of four hours with power and 18 hours without (Ma’an, July 23, 2018; al-Ghad channel website, July 23, 2018).
• Jamie McGoldrick, UN coordinator for humanitarian affairs in the Palestinian territories, said that the emergency supply of UN fuel for essential services in the Gaza Strip was rapidly being depleted. He called on Israel to lift the limitations it had placed on the entrance of fuel into the Gaza Strip and appealed to donors to provide immediate funding. He said if no fuel reaches the Gaza Strip people’s lives will be in danger (website of the UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs, July 22, 2018).

Rehabilitation attempts

• Sources connected to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) said the UN was working urgently to create new jobs in the Gaza Strip. According to the report, a plan has been formulated for creating 2,500 new jobs within a year. The program will directly help 2,979 Gazans, 40% of them women, and will be financed by the Islamic Development Bank ($1 million), a Swiss development network (?) ($1.2 million), and UNDP ($300,000) (Safa, July 18, 2018).

Egyptian efforts to achieve an internal Palestinian reconciliation

• Hamas leader Isma’il Haniyeh told Abbas Kamal, head of Egyptian General Intelligence, that Hamas accepted the Egyptian suggestion proposed to senior Hamas figure during their visit to Cairo on July 12 and 13, 2018 (Hamas website, July 19, 2018). Following their acceptance, it was reported that after both sides had agreed to the articles of the document, in the near future Egypt is planning to invite representatives of Fatah and Hamas to discuss a reconciliation agreement (al-Hayat, July 21, y ea).
• According to reports leaked to the press, the agreement is to be implemented gradually in four stages, each one with a set time frame (al-Anadolu News, July 19, 2018).
  • The first stage, which will take about a week: lifting the sanctions on the Gaza Strip. That will include restoring the salaries to governmental officials, transferring funds to the government ministries and providing fuel for the power plant without PA taxes.
  • The second stage, which will take about three weeks: an agreed-upon salary policy for governmental officials. That will include Hamas’ transfer of taxes to the Palestinian Authority after deducting officials’ salaries. In addition, the road blocks will be removed at the border crossings between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, and the Gaza Strip and Israel.
  • The third stage, which will take between three weeks and a month: discussing security issues. Meetings of security committees in the West Bank and Gaza Strip will be held under Egyptian supervision to discuss security.
  • The fourth stage, which will take three days: meetings will be held in Cairo to determine a mechanism for implementing the 2011 internal Palestinian reconciliation agreement.
• Senior Hamas figure Isma’il Radwan appealed to the PA to agree to the Egyptian document, as Hamas had done, to end the internal Palestinian schism (al-Aqsa TV, July 23, 2018). Hamas spokesman Husam Badran called on Fatah to give a positive answer to everything dealing with the internal Palestinian reconciliation (Hamas website, July 23, 2018).

PA appeal to the International Criminal Court

• Issa Qaraqe, head of the PA authority for prisoners and former prisoners affairs, reported that the PA had begun a process to lodge a request with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the The Hague to take action on cases related to “Israel’s infringement of the rights of the Palestinian prisoners.” He said Mahmoud Abbas had decided to ask for help from the ICC regarding the legal standing of the prisoners and designating them “prisoners of freedom [sic]” and as “legally conducting a struggle” (Palestinian TV, July 18, 2018).

Mahmoud Abbas praises terrorists and continues payments to their families

• Mahmoud Abbas held a ceremony in his office to pay tribute to the families of former prisoners and prisoners who died in Israeli jails. He presented the families with certificates and plaques. He gave a speech in which he said that the PA had no intention to reduce or stop the allotments given to the families of shaheeds, prisoners and former prisoners. He said, “Even if we only have one cent we will pay it to the families of the shaheeds and prisoners” (Wafa, July 23, 2018).

   
Mahmoud Abbas awards certificates and plaques to the families of prisoners (Wafa, July 23, 2018).

Palestinian reactions to Israel’s Jewish Nation-State Law

• On July 19, 2018, after long deliberations and the rejection of all reservations and objections, the Israeli Knesset voted, 62 to 55, to pass the Basic Law that the State of Israel is the nation state of the Jewish people. It anchors the status of its symbol, flag and national anthem, the Hebrew calendar, Israel’s holidays and the Hebrew language as the language of the country (Knesset website, July 19, 2018).
• Many Palestinians were outraged by the law, which they called “racist” and in violation of international law. Some of them even said the law turned the regional conflict into a religious conflict. Some of the reactions were the following:
• Mahmoud Abbas denounced the Nation-State Law, saying it proved Israel’s racist policy and therefore violated international law. He said Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine and there will be no peace or security or stability to anyone without it (Wafa, July 19, 2018).
• The PA’s foreign ministry denounced the law, saying it officially proved Israel was an “apartheid state.” The law, according to the ministry, clearly violated international laws and by passing it Israel sent a clear message to the world that it has no interest in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the basis of the two-state solution (Wafa, July 19, 2018).
• Saeb Erekat, secretary of the PLO’s Executive Committee, denounced the Knesset decision, stressing the Israel was trying to pass “apartheid laws” and install a racist regime (Wafa, July 19, 2018). On another occasion he called the law “racist and discriminatory.” He claimed the law would turn the Palestinian struggle from political to religious. He also said the law legitimized the settlements and “ethnic cleansing.” He said the Palestinians would appeal to the UN General Assembly to reexamine Israel’s status in the organization (al-Jazeera, July 23, 2018).
• Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said the Nation-State Law legitimized Israel’s racism and endangered the Palestinians and their right to live in their own country. He denounced the support given to Israel by the United States, adding that Israel’s policy proved the Palestinians had to unite to formulate a national strategy and fight for their common goals (Hamas website, July 19, 2018).
• Senior Hamas figure Isma’il Radwan said the [Middle East] would not calm down after the passing of the law because it turned the struggle from political to religious. He called on all the Palestinian [terrorist] organizations to escalate the Jerusalem intifada and continue the “return marches” (al-Aqsa TV, July 23, 2018).

Palestinians protest the visit of Jews to the Temple Mount

• The presence of hundreds of Jews who came to pray on the Temple Mount for Tisha’ B’Av led to broad Palestinian protests. Yusuf al-Mahmoud, spokesman for the Palestinian national consensus government, called the event “a black day in the history of Palestine, when settlers invaded the Temple Mount, protected by the government of the occupation” (Wafa, July 22, 2018). Yusuf Ede’is, PA minister of religious affairs, called for al-Aqsa mosque to be protected from the “invasion of the settlers” and demanded Muslims around the globe act immediately to prevent invasions and defend the rights of the Muslims (al-Ghad TV, July 22. 2018).

Armed operatives at a Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) ceremony in Abu Dis

• The DFLP unveiled a memorial and square in Abu Dis commemorating Muhammad Khalaf Muhammad Lafi, a DFLP operative, who was killed in Abu Dis on July 21, 2017, in a clash with the IDF. A speech was given by Taysir Khaled, a member of the PLO’s Executive Committee (QudsN Facebook page, July 21, 2018; the DFLP central information Facebook page, July 23, 2018). Armed, uniformed operatives attended the ceremony.

Flotilla to the Gaza Strip

• On the evening of July 21, 2018, the al-Awda set sail from Palermo for the Gaza Strip, followed on July 21, 2018, by the Huriya and the Falestine. There are about 40 passengers aboard the boats (Freedom Flotilla Coalition Facebook page, July 22 and 23, 2018). The fourth ship, the Mairead, did not sail, because of crew problems (Ship to Gaza – Sweden Facebook page, July 23, 2018). Richard Sudan, a journalist from Britain, joined the Huriya. He is a correspondent for the Iranian Press TV channel in English (Press TV UK Facebook page, July 22, 2018).^[4]

   
Right: The al-Awda sets sail from Palermo for the Gaza Strip, July 21, 2018 (Twitter account of Zaher Birawi, July 21, 2018). Left: Correspondent for the Iranian Press TV channel in English who joined the passengers aboard the Huriya (Press TV YouTube channel, July 22, 2018).