Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (December 7-13, 2022)

Shooting attack near Ofra

• On December 7, 2022, there was a drive-by shooting attack at an IDF post near the settlement of Ofra (northeast of Ramallah). No casualties or damage were reported. An IDF force at the site pursued the vehicle for an hour until close to the village of Ayn Yabrud the Palestinian terrorist exited the vehicle, shot at the soldiers and ran away. He was shot and killed (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, December 7, 2022).
• The ministry of health in Ramallah reported the death of Mujahed Mahmoud Jumaa Hamad (al-Najar) (Wafa, December 7, 2022). A military funeral was held for him attended by Laila Ghannam, governor of the Ramallah district (Laila Ghannam’s Facebook page, December 8, 2022).
• Fatah’s al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades (AAMB) issued a mourning notice stating he was a prominent commander in Silwad^[1] (AAMB Telegram channel, December 7, 2022). According to the Palestinian social networks he also carried out a shooting attack near Ofra on December 6, 2022, and left a note reading, “the Ibrahim al-Nabulsi Battalion/Death to the occupier” (Ody Elfarra’s Facebook page, December 7, 2022; Amjad Ahmed’s Twitter account, December 7, 2022).
• Hamad was detained in 2010 and sentenced to nine years imprisonment. While he was in prison his father and one of his brothers were detained. He was released on May 21, 2019. On September 22, 2020 he was detained again and held in administrative detention for two years (Palinfo, December 8, 2022). In his last post to his Facebook page, on December 5, 2022, he wrote the time had come for him to meet Allah.

   
Right: The rifle used in the shooting attack (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, December 7, 2022). Left: Mujahed Hamad’s last Facebook page post (December 5, 2022).

   
Right: The AAMB mourning notice issued for Mujahed Hamad (al-AAMB channel, December 7, 2022). Left: Fatah in Silwad mourning notice issued for Mujahed Hamad (Ahlam Khalil’s Facebook page, December 7, 2022).

     
Right: The military funeral held for Mujahed Hamad, attended by Laila Ghannam, Ramallah and al-Bireh district governor (Laila Ghannam’s Facebook page, December 8, 2022). Left: Armed, masked terrorist operatives at the funeral. His forehead is adorned with an AAMB headband (Twitter account of photographer Hashem Abu Shakra, December 8, 2022).

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

Counterterrorism Activities

• This past week the Israeli security forces continued intensive counterterrorism activities in Judea and Samaria, detaining Palestinians suspected of involvement in terrorist activities and confiscating large quantities of weapons (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account):
  • Before dawn on December 12, 2022, Israeli security forces entered Jenin and detained three wanted Palestinians suspected of involvement in terrorist activities. After they were detained local residents rioted, attacking the forces and throwing IEDs under cover of gunfire. During the activity an M-16 assault rifle was confiscated which had been used to shoot at the forces (Israel Police Force spokesman’s unit, December 12, 2022). The Palestinians reported a female fatality and four wounded Palestinians. The Jenin Battalion reported its operatives had directed heavy fire at the Israeli security forces and threw IEDs at them (QudsN website, December 12, 2022). Hamas congratulated the “heroes of the Jenin refugee camp” who confronted Israeli the security forces and “waged a fierce battle against them.” Hamas called on the Palestinians to remain on alert, monitor IDF activity (“the activity of the occupying army”) and attack posts, settlements, soldiers and settlers (Shehab, December 12, 2022).

•  Before dawn on December 8, 2022, Israeli security forces operated in the Jenin refugee camp to detain wanted Palestinians suspected of involvement in terrorist activities. Three Palestinians were detained and their weapons were confiscated. Armed Palestinians shot at the Israeli forces and threw IEDs at them. The forces returned fire (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, December 8, 2022). The Palestinians reported three fatalities (Ma’an, December 8, 2022) [See below, “Palestinian fatalities”]. The Jenin Battalion claimed responsibility for several shooting and IED attacks against IDF forces, claiming they were carried out to revenge the deaths of the three (Paltoday, December 8, 2022).

• On the morning of December 7, 2022, IDF forces operated in the Old City of Nablus. Palestinians shot at the forces, who returned fire (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, December 7, 2022). The Palestinians reported three wounded. After the forces left the Old City, a crowd of Palestinians gathered shouting slogans in support of the Lion’s Den network. The network issued an announcement stating that in light of information received from the Palestinian security forces before the Israeli forces entered the Old City they had organized to confront the IDF soldiers (QudsN Twitter account, December  7, 2022).

   
Right: Palestinians throw rocks at the IDF forces during the activity in the Old City of Nablus (Wafa, December 7, 2022). Left: Smoke rising from the area of the confrontation in the Old City (Shehab, December 7, 2022).

Palestinian fatalities

Jenin

• On the night of December 11, 2022, Khalil Suleiman, the director of the government hospital in Jenin, announced the death of a girl named Jana Majdi Issam Zakarna, 16 years old, who had been shot during the Israeli security force activity in the eastern neighborhood of Jenin. She was reportedly shot while on the roof of her house. Atta Abu Armila, secretary of the Fatah branch in the Jenin district, declared a general strike and said Fatah would continue the “resistance” (anti-Israeli terrorism) (Wafa, December 12, 2022).
• Her death was widely condemned, including by the United States and Britain, which called on the IDF to investigate. Hussein al-Sheikh, general secretary of the PLO’s Executive Committee, issued the same call (Hussein al-Sheikh’s Twitter account, December 12, 2022). PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh issued a statement of condemnation and asked Virginia Gamba de Potgieter, the special representative of the secretary-general of the UN for children and armed conflict, currently visiting the PA, to investigate the “crimes of the occupation” against Palestinian children and to put Israel on the UN black list because, he claimed, since 2000 more than 2,200 Palestinian children had been killed (Muhammad Shtayyeh’s Facebook page, December 12, 2022).

       
Right: Mourning notice issued for Jana Zakarna by the PA ministry of education (Facebook page of the ministry of education in Ramallah, December 12, 2022). Left: The funeral held for Jana Zakarna in Jenin (Snd News website, December 12, 2022).

Palestinian killed near Aboud

• On December 8, 2022, Palestinians threw rocks and bottles of paint at Israeli vehicles on the road near Aboud (northwest of Ramallah). An IDF force shot at them (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, December 8, 2022).
• The ministry of health in Ramallah reported one Palestinian had been killed and five wounded by IDF fire. The fatality was Zia Muhammad Shafiq al-Rimawi, 16 years old, from Bayt Rima. He was in the tenth grade in the al-Barghouti boys’ school in Bayt Rima (Wafa, December 8, 2022). Fatah and the Shabiba movement in Bayt Rima issued a mourning notice for him stating he was a movement operative (Facebook page of Abo Hãzëm Alrimawi, December 8, 2022). A military funeral was held for him, attended by Laila Ghannam, Ramallah and al-Bireh district governor (Facebook page of the PA’s national security forces, December 9, 2022).

  
Right: The Fatah mourning notice issued for Zia al-Rimawi (Facebook page of Fatah’s bureau of media information and culture, December 8, 2022). Left: The military funeral held for Zia al-Rimawi (Facebook page of the PA’s national security forces, December 9, 2022).

Three Palestinians killed in Jenin

• On December 8, 2022, the ministry of health in Ramallah reported the deaths of three Palestinians, shot and killed by Israeli security forces operating in Jenin. They were (Wafa, December 8, 2022):
  • Sidqi Sadiq Zakarna, 29 years old, from the eastern neighborhood of Jenin. The AAMB issued a mourning notice for him stating he was a Jenin Battalion operative (AAMB Telegram channel, December 8, 2022).
  • Tareq Fawzi al-Damaj, 29 years old, from the Jenin refugee camp. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) claimed him as one of its operatives (Jenin Battalion of the Jerusalem Brigades [the PIJ’s military-terrorist wing] Telegram channel, December 8, 2022).
  • Atta Yassin Mahmoud al-Shalabi, 46 years old, from Qabatiya. According to claims, he was shot and killed while trying to help Zakarna, and was not involved but merely passing by. He was accompanied by his brother and cousins; they were en route to the Jalameh Crossing because he worked in Nazareth with an Israeli permit (Wafa, December 8, 2022; al-Quds, December 10, 2022).

 
Right: Mourning notice issued by the AAMB for Sidqi Zakarna (AAMB Telegram channel, December 8, 2022). Left: Mourning notice issued by the Jenin Battalion of the Jerusalem Brigades for Tareq Fawzi al-Damaj (Jenin Battalion of the Jerusalem Brigades Telegram channel, December 8, 2022).

   
Funerals of the three fatalities in Jenin: The body of al-Damaj wrapped for burial in a PIJ flag, his forehead adorned with a Jerusalem Brigades headband. The other two were wrapped for burial in Palestinian flags. The funerals were attended by armed Palestinian terrorists (Wafa Facebook page, December 8, 2022).

Reactions

• Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Mahmoud Abbas, claimed the government of Israel (“the Israeli occupation”) was trying to ignite the Middle East by continuing its “crimes” against the Palestinians. He claimed the Israel government was responsible for an ongoing “escalation” which was pushing the entire region into more tension and a “conflagration” (Wafa, December 8, 2022).
• PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh called on the international community to defend the Palestinians in light of Israel’s ongoing “crimes” and daily “assassinations.” He demanded the “criminals” be tried in the International Criminal Court, adding that Israel was encouraged to commit more crimes by its sense of invulnerability, which was growing stronger as a result of “a policy of double standards.” Its most recent crime, he claimed, was the death of the three teenagers in Jenin (Wafa, December 8, 2022).
• Hamas claimed that “Israel’s crime” would boomerang against it like fire and ignite more anger, and that the Palestinian “uprising” would be victorious (Hamas website, December 8, 2022). The PIJ called for “confrontations” with Israel to continue, noting that without a doubt the “resistance” [terrorist organizations] would respond (PIJ website, December 8, 2022).

The Lion’s Den terrorist network holds a military display in Nablus

• On December 9, 2022, the Lion’s Den held a memorial ceremony in the Old City of Nablus marking 40 days since the death of Wadia al-Huh, the network commander. Dozens of armed, masked Lion’s Den terrorist operatives marched through the streets, wearing identical uniforms and network headbands. After the march one of the operatives read a list of al-Huh’s virtues and the names of other network shaheeds, among them Tamer al-Kilani, commander of the suicide bomber unit; Hamdi al-Qayam, in charge of the production unit; and Sa’ad al-Koni, one of the network’s elite unit operatives. He stressed that the Lion’s Den network was still firm and profiting from lessons they were learning, changing their strategies and tactics, and surprising Israel on the battlefield. He said the network was comprised of operatives from all the organizations, belonged to “Palestine,” and believed in the unity of “blood and the struggle” and the unity of arms (al-Hayat al-Jadeeda, December 9, 2022; al-Andalou News, December 9, 2022).

 
Right: Lion’s Den military display in Nablus (QudsN Twitter account, December 9, 2022). Left: Lion’s Den posting to the social networks showing the increase in their numbers (Nablus al-Hadath Telegram channel, December 9, 2022).

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

Detention of Gazan recruited by Hamas

• In November 2022 Israeli security forces at the Erez Crossing detained Saber Mahmoud Yusuf Abu Thabet, 28 years old, from Deir al-Balah (central Gaza Strip), who had a permit to enter Israel for commercial purposes. Interrogation revealed he had been recruited by Hamas and asked to collect information and carry out other missions inside Israel. The investigation exposed significant information about Hamas, including how its intelligence apparatuses work, the identity of handlers, tunnel locations, weapons storehouses and military sites where the organization operates (Israeli Security Agency media department, December 8, 2022). It was not the first time Hamas recruited Gazans with Israeli entrance permits to collect information and carry out terrorist attacks.

The Islamic Bank opens a new branch in the Gaza Strip

• As part of a plan to expand banking services, on December 4, 2022, the Islamic National Bank^[3] opened its seventh branch, located in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip. Kamal al-Agha, bank manager, said the importance of the bank, which was on al-Huja Street, lay in its proximity to the city’s commercial center. He also said that despite the Gaza Strip’s financial hardships, in recent years the bank had increased the value of its assets by 36%, so that at the end of 2021 its assets were $137 million. Its pretax profits were $3.9 million, an increase of 41.5% compared with the previous year, and there had been a significant rise in investments, which were valued at more than 45.7 million [of an unnamed currency], a rise of 44% (Shehab, December 4, 2022).

• After the bank opened the PA’s Monetary Authority issued a formal announcement stating that the Hamas administration did to have the authority to establish financial institutions. According to the announcement, establishing new banks was illegal because only the PA Monetary Authority was qualified to give authorization and oversee financial institutions. The Monetary Authority warned residents of the Gaza Strip not to use institutions which handled finances without authorization, adding that only funds deposited in institutions overseen by the Monetary Authority were protected by law (Wafa, December 8, 2022).

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) holds a rally to mark the anniversary of its founding

• On December 8, 2022, PFLP operatives held a rally in al-Katiba Square in Gaza City to mark the 55^th anniversary of the organization’s founding. A recorded speech by PIJ leader Ziyad al-Nakhalah was played, who spoke on behalf of the national and Islamic forces. The mother of Tamer al-Kilani, one of the late leaders of the Lion’s Den terrorist network, gave a speech on behalf of the families of shaheeds and called on the Palestinians to view Tamer and the story of his “heroism” as a model [to be followed], and never to lay down their arms (PFLP website, December 8, 2022).
• Jamil Muzaher, deputy head of the PFLP, spoke about the organization’s founding principles (PFLP website, December 8, 2022):
  • During the organization’s eighth national conference^[4] they reviewed their political policy and removed the “phase plan” because it opened the door to concessions. They would return to the option of “Palestine, all Palestine.” He stressed that as far as they were concerned, there would be no solutions, arrangements or negotiations [with Israel], only the “armed struggle” [terrorism], because “what was not achieved by the resistance would be achieved by more resistance.”
  • Escalating the “resistance” [terrorist attacks] in Judea and Samaria was a strategic choice, and therefore they would fight alongside the “resistance” [established terrorist organizations] to turn all the settlements into targets for attacks and confrontation, and they would not allow any Palestinian, city, village of refugee camp to be isolated.

     
The PFLP rally in Gaza City (Qudsnet.com, December 8, 2022).

The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) conducts a military exercise

• The National Resistance Brigades (the al-Qassam Shaheed Forces), the DFLP’s terrorist wing, conducted a military exercise with the title “Loyalty to the Shaheeds” to mark the 35^th anniversary of the first intifada. Terrorist operatives simulated storming IDF posts on the Gaza Strip border using machineguns, sniper rifles, hand grenades, IEDs and artillery. According to the Palestinian social networks, the exercise was held in Rafah on December 9, 2022 (alhourriah.ps Twitter account, December 9, 2022; journalist Hani al-Shaer’s Telegram channel , December 9, 2022).
• Ziyad Jarghoun, a member of the DFLP’s political bureau, said the exercise and the other “resistance” capabilities were part of the deployment and preparations for facing Israel in the next battles (DFLP’s military-terrorist wing website, December 11, 2022).

   
Simulating an attack on an IDF post (Alam24, December 9, 2022).

 
Exiting a tunnel (journalist Hani al-Shaer’s Telegram channel , December 9, 2022).

Preparations for the anniversary of Hamas’ founding

• Preparations continue in the Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria for ceremonies marking the 35^th anniversary of the founding of Hamas (December 14). The events began on December 7, 2022, and a press conference was held in front of the house of Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin in the al-Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City. A logo was devised for the events bearing the slogan, “To Jerusalem…[we are] coming in a mighty flood.” The events will climax on December 14, 2022, in al-Katiba Square in Gaza City, where Yahya al-Sinwar, head of the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip, is expected to speak (Hamas website, December 7, 2022; Paldf, December 12, 2022). In celebration, the Jabalia refugee camp opened a display of rockets and various weapons used by Hamas’ military-terrorist wing (Palestine Online, December 9, 2022).
• In honor of the anniversary Isma’il Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau, gave an apparently prerecorded televised speech, stating that in the near future Hamas would operate according to a strategic order of priorities. He said the “resistance” [attacks against Israel] would continue, escalate and expand, and would teach the world a lesson about standing firm, sacrifice and giving. He claimed the movement and its military wing were present in Judea and Samaria, as were the Lion’s Den in Nablus, the Jenin Battalion and the heroes [sic] who carried out lone-wolf attacks. All of the above, he claimed, showed that the Palestinians were about to begin a new stage of the “confrontation” with Israel (Hamas website, December 12, 2022; Shehab, December 12, 2022).

   
Usama al-Muzeini declares the beginning of the events (Hamas website, December 7, 2022). Left: Constructing the stage for the December 14 rally (@FourthAthority Twitter account, December 11, 2022).

   
Rockets on display in the Jabalia refugee camp (Right: Palestine Online, December 9, 2022. Left: al-Jazeera TV website, December 10, 2022).

• In Judea and Samaria as well, preparations are being made for the anniversary. Al-Araby al-Jadeed reported that over the past several days the PA’s security forces had summoned Hamas operatives and Hamas-affiliated students and warned them not to participate in the anniversary activities (al-Araby al-Jadeed, December 12, 2022). Muhammad Muslah Nizal, senior Hamas operative in Qalqilya, said that last year as well they had summoned him for questioning and demanded he not participate in the Hamas anniversary activities (Palestine Online, December 12, 2022). Hamas protested the PA’s efforts to prevent its activities in Judea and Samaria, stressing that such efforts would fail. Hamas also condemned the detentions and summonses issued by the PA security forces and demanded the PA put an end to security coordination with Israel (Hamas Telegram channel, December 11, 2022).
• However, the Islamic Bloc, the Hamas student faction in al-Quds University in Abu Dis, did mark the anniversary. Muhammad Hamada, Hamas spokesman in Jerusalem, gave a speech in which he said “the generation of the resistance” was coming as a great flood to liberate Jerusalem, and al-Quds University was the university of the shaheeds and “resistance fighters” [terrorist operatives]; he called on all the students to follow in the footsteps of the shaheeds (Islamic Bloc in the West Bank website, December 11, 2022). An event was also held in al-Najah University in Nablus, and Birzeit University and the Polytechnic University in Hebron are planning to hold events in the near future.

  
The Islamic Bloc in al-Quds University holds a march. The left-hand picture is Yasser Arafat, at the right is Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin (Twitter account of the Islamic Bloc in the West Bank, December 11, 2022).

Another Gazan fatality from Operation Breaking Dawn

• On December 9, 2022, the Palestinian media reported the death of Nabil Ahmed Shalah (Abu Habib), 59 years old, who died after having been wounded in Operation Breaking Dawn in August 2022. He lived in the al-Shejaiya neighborhood in the eastern Gaza Strip and was wounded in the attack on its Abu Samra mosque^[5] (Shehab, December 9, 2022; al-Ayam, December 10, 2022). According to several accounts he was an operative in the Jerusalem Brigades, the PIJ’s military-terrorist wing (Amad, December 9, 2022; Asmaa Shalah’s Facebook page, December 9, 2022). The PIJ in the Gaza district issued a mourning notice for him but did not mention him as an organization operative (Meithaq Twitter account, December 9, 2022). He was the 52^nd Gazan to die in the operation.^[6]

Mahmoud Abbas visits Saudi Arabia

• On December 8, 2022, Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Saudi Arabia for an official visit and to participate in the Arab-Chinese summit meeting in Riyadh. He was accompanied by Hussein al-Sheikh, general secretary of the PLO’s Executive Committee; Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki, and Majdi al-Khaldi, his diplomatic advisor. He gave a speech at the meeting opening in which he called on countries not to cooperate with an Israeli government that did not recognize the principles of international law. He also said [the Palestinians] would continue to work to achieve recognition for “Palestine” and full membership in the UN, as well as implementing international resolutions relating to the Palestinian cause. He called on Britain and the United States to apologize and compensate the Palestinian people for the Balfour Declaration, and for destroying hundreds of Palestinians villages and uprooting hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the homes (Wafa, December 9, 2022).
• Before the meeting began, Mahmoud Abbas met with the president of China to discuss closer relations, broader commercial and economic ties, and increased investments. He thanked the president of China for his country’s support, including economic support, for the Palestinian cause. The president of China invited Mahmoud Abbas to pay an official visit whose dates would be determined through diplomatic channels (Wafa, December 8, 2022). Returning to the PA, Mahmoud Abbas met with King Abdallah of Jordan in Amman on the sidelines of the Islamic conference, to which Abdallah had invited him (Wafa, December 11, 2022).

   
Right: Mahmoud Abbas at the summit meeting in Riyadh (Wafa, December 9 2022). Left: Mahmoud Abbas meets the president of China (Wafa, December 8, 2022).

Mahmoud Abbas interviewed by al-Arabiya TV

• On December 7, 2022, Mahmoud Abbas was interviewed by al-Arabiya TV. Among the topics he related to were the following (Mahmoud Abbas’ Facebook page, December 8, 2022):
  • Dissolving the PA: Mahmoud Abbas said he had no intention of dissolving the PA, it was strong and they had constructed it with the efforts of their shaheeds. He accused Israel of cancelling the Oslo Accords. He claimed that even without the Oslo Accords, they remained and were present to prove the existence of the Palestinian people and to achieve a country without occupation. He also said they had all the trappings of a state and what they needed was to put an end to the [so-called Israeli] “occupation.”
  • Security coordination with Israel: According to Mahmoud Abbas’ worldview, terrorism had to be fought wherever it was found. Therefore, they had signed agreements to fight terrorism and violence with 85 countries around the globe, including the United States, Britain, Canada, Russia and Japan. They opposed terrorism and violence on principle, and along with everything relating to Israel they were against terrorism and violence, but if Israel continued its behavior he might cancel his commitment to the security agreement.
  • “Military resistance” to Israel: Mahmoud Abbas claimed that today the Palestinians followed a policy if “non-violent popular resistance” [armed, violent popular terrorism], which was, he said, their right. He claimed Fatah was responsible for military armed military “resistance” and the “armed struggle.” Today he was not in favor of it but he could change his mind at any moment.
  • Cooperation with the new Israeli government: Mahmoud Abbas claimed he would be willing to cooperate with the new Netanyahu government without waiving the principle of a Palestinian state with the 1967 borders and east Jerusalem as its capital.

Virginia Gamba de Potgieter, the special representative of the secretary-general of the UN for children and armed conflict visits the PA

• Virginia Gamba de Potgieter, the special representative of the secretary-general of the UN for children and armed conflict arrived in the PA for a visit. Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki met with her in his office and gave her a detailed report about the “violations carried out by Israel against Palestinian children.” He warned of the Israeli government being formed and called for an end to attacks on Palestinian children, which is a violation of international law, and to bring the [alleged] “Israeli war criminals to trial.” He also related to Israel’s attacks on schools during the various rounds of fighting in the Gaza Strip and on Palestinian schools in the Bedouin districts in Judea and Samaria (PA foreign ministry website, December 12, 2022).
• Note: PA foreign ministry claims that since the beginning of 2022, 52 Palestinian children were killed, some by IDF fire, some in settler attacks and some through medical negligence (PA foreign ministry Facebook page, December 11, 2022).

Shtayyeh works to enlist foreign investors

• On December 7, 2022, PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh attended the opening session of the European Union-Palestinian Business Forum held in Ramallah. He gave a speech stressing that the “conflict in Palestine” was political and not economic, so even if investments with the PA were given preference it would be insufficient because the “occupation” had to be ended and a political framework for the conflict had to be found. He said they were working to strengthen the Palestinian national product and to gradually end the connection with Israel which had been forced on them. He said what was most important for them was to recruit joint investments with European countries inside the Palestinian territories and to reach international markets (Muhammad Shtayyeh’s Facebook page, December 7, 2022). During the conference five investment agreements worth €80 million were signed.

   
Right: Muhammad Shtayyeh gives a speech at the conference. Left: The signing of European-Palestinian agreements (Muhammad Shtayyeh’s Facebook page, December 7, 2022).

• on December 8, 2022, Muhammad Shtayyeh met with Lynn Hastings, UN deputy special coordinator for the Middle East peace process. Shtayyeh asked for protection for the Palestinians in the wake of Israel’s activities in Judea and Samaria. He also asked her for an increase in UN projects in the PA territories during the coming year, especially projects regarding energy and those which would create sources of employment to lower the rate of unemployment (Wafa, December 8, 2022).

Joy in the Palestinian streets when the Morocco reaches the World Cup semi-finals

• Morocco is the first Arab country to reach the World Cup semi-finals, a fact that led to a wave of exultation among the Palestinians in Gaza Strip, Judea, Samaria and east Jerusalem. They went out into the streets, distributed candy, and waved Moroccan flags and pictures of the king of Morocco (QudsN Twitter account, December 10, 2022). Muhammad Shtayyeh praised the Moroccan team on his Facebook page for their historic victory, noting that “Palestine” was found in the hearts of Arabs wherever they were [a reference to the Moroccan team’s waving a Palestinian flag after their win and other pro-Palestinian events in Doha] (Muhammad Shtayyeh’s Facebook page, December 10, 2022). Hussein al-Sheikh praised the team and said the joyous celebrations in the Arab-Muslim world illustrated the unity of the Arab nation (Hussein al-Sheikh’s Twitter account, December 10, 2022).^[7]

  
Right: Celebrating in the Gaza Strip (Facebook page of the Qatar’s National Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza, December 10 2022). Left: Celebrating in Ramallah (QudsN Twitter account, December 10, 2022).

The first conference against “Israeli apartheid”

• On December 11, 2022, the PLO’s department dealing with the “struggle against apartheid” held the “first national conference against apartheid” in al-Bireh. The conference was organized in cooperation with a network of NGOs, the Palestinian human rights organization, the BDS movement and the Palestinian ministry of justice. Present at the meeting were members of the PLO’s Executive Committee, ambassadors, consuls, representatives of diplomatic legations, activists and “researchers.” The conference was divided into three sessions: “The Zionist movement and apartheid;” “International responsibility, international law and horizons for a juridical confrontation with Israeli apartheid;” and an international campaign to isolate and punish Israel (Wafa, December 11, 2022).
• According to Ramzi Rabah, a member of the PLO’s Executive Committee and head of the anti-apartheid department, the objective of the conference was to create an international coalition to end apartheid, take action in the international arena through political avenues, human rights organizations and civilian society to increase social awareness of the issue. Deputy Fatah chairman Mahmoud al-‘Aloul noted the need to confront “Israel’s crimes and its apartheid regime” through “popular resistance,” increasing diplomatic efforts in the various UN agencies, and lawfare to isolate Israel. He also claimed the new Israeli government was very dangerous (Ma’an, December 12, 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:^[8]
  • December 11, 2022: Molotov cocktails were thrown at an Israeli bus and other vehicles near Halhul (north of Hebron). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • December 11, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between Ariel and Tapuah (south of Nablus). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • December 11, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus between Argaman and the Adam Junction (Jordan Valley). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • December 11, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle north of Ofra (northeast of Ramallah). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • December 9, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle and tires were burned between Tapuah and Migdalim (south of Nablus). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • December 9, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle in Hawwara (south of Nablus). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • December 8, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near al-Aroub (north of Hebron). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • December 8, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle on route 60 south of Givat Asaf (east of Ramallah). No casualties were reported; the windshield of the bus was damaged.
  • December 8, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Luban al-Sharqia (northeast of Ramallah). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • December 8, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Beit El (northeast of Ramallah). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • December 8, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus in Hawwara.
  • December 8, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle north of Ofra. An Israeli was wounded by flying glass; the vehicle was damaged.

• • December 8, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle in Hawwara. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • December 7, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle west of Halhul. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • December 7, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between Revava and the Yakir Junction (northwest of Salfit). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • December 7, 2022: A Molotov cocktail was thrown at an Israeli bus northeast of Hebron. No casualties were reported; the bus was damaged.
  • December 7, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli school bus near Umm Safa (northwest of Ramallah). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • December 7, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between Bayt Furiq and Bayt Dajan (southeast of Nablus) No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • December 7, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Havat Gilad (west of Nablus). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • December 7, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near the settlement of Carmel (south of Hebron). The driver was injured by flying glass; the vehicle was damaged (Magen David Adom, December 7, 2022).