Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (June 14-20, 2023)

Drive-by shooting near the Reihan Crossing

• On June 13, 2023, a drive-by shooting targeted an Israeli civilian vehicle and an IDF vehicle near the Reihan Crossing (west of Jenin). One civilian and four soldiers were wounded. According to reports, two Palestinians driving from the region of the settlement of Mevo Dotan to the Reihan Crossing opened fire at the Israeli civilian vehicle from Mevo Dotan. The wounded driver managed to reach the Crossing, where he reported the attack to security personnel. The Palestinians continued driving, saw an IDF vehicle and fired shots at it, wounding four soldiers. From there they drove to Ya’bad and torched the vehicle. According to Palestinian reports the vehicle had previously been used in shooting attacks (IDF spokesman and the Israeli media, June 13, 2023).

   
The civilian vehicle attacked by gunfire
(Samaria Regional Council security branch, June 14, 2023).

Vehicle ramming at the Rachel Crossing

• On the evening of June 19, 2023, two Palestinians drove to the Rahel Crossing (north of Bethlehem), and attempted to run over IDF fighters at the site. The forces shot and wounded the Palestinians. Two IDF soldiers were wounded (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, June 19, 2023). The ministry of health in Ramallah reported two wounded Palestinians from Ya’bad (west of Jenin) had gone to a hospital. A different source reported they were wounded while in their vehicle was near Ya’bad (ministry of health in Ramallah Telegram channel and al-Ghad TV, June 19, 2023).

Critical Terrorist Attacks in Judea and Samaria since November 2020^[1]

Terrorist’s apartment demolished

• Before dawn on June 15, 2023, IDF forces operating in Nablus demolished the apartment of Usama al-Tawil, who shot and killed an IDF soldier near the settlement of Shavei Shomron on October 11, 2022. The apartment was located on the third floor of a four-story building in the Rafidia neighborhood. After the forces encircled the building and evacuated the residents from nearby buildings, riots broke out in Nablus, in which one Palestinian was killed and two were wounded, and 170 Palestinians suffered the effects of teargas inhalation (Wafa, June 15, 2023). The al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades (AAMB) announced that their operatives, along with operatives of the Palestinian security services, clashed with IDF forces (AAMB Telegram channel, June 15, 2023). The Nablus Battalion of the Jerusalem Brigades, the PIJ’s military-terrorist wing, also reported its operatives had gone to Jenin to clash with IDF forces (Nablus Battalion Telegram channel, June 15, 2023). The AAMB Revenge and Liberation network in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus also claimed its operatives had participated in the clashes (AAMB Revenge and Liberation Telegram channel, June 15, 2023).

   
Demolishing the apartment of the terrorist who shot and killed an IDF soldier near Shavei Shomron (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, June 15, 2023).

   
Right: The apartment after the IDF activity (Photographer Issam al-Rimawi’s Facebook page, June 15, 2023). Left: From a Palestinian video documenting the rioting in Nablus (PA government spokesman Ibrahim Melhem’s Facebook page, June 15, 2023).

• The Palestinian killed in the rioting was Khalil Yahya al-Anis, 20 years old, from the al-Ayn refugee camp. His mother said he was in the front lines of every Israeli activity in and around Nablus, and did not fear death. He was named after his uncle, Khalil al-Anis, killed in a clash with Israeli forces in the Old City of Nablus in 2002. His father said the death of his son’s friend Muhammad Sayid al-Halak, killed in rioting in Nablus on April 3, 2023, had changed his life, and since then he talked about dying as a martyr and his desire to join his shaheed friend (al-Araby al-Jadeed, June 15, 2023). A funeral was held for him in the al-Ayn refugee camp, and his body was wrapped for burial in Palestinian flag, upon which was laid an improvised Carlo machine gun (Photographer Wahab Bani Muflah’s Facebook page, June 15, 2023).

   
Right: Khalil al-Anis’ Facebook page profile picture. Al-Anis (right) and Muhammad Sayid al-Halak (left) (Khalil al-Anis’ Facebook page, April 5, 2023). Left: The funeral held for Khalil al-Anis in the al-Ayn refugee camp (Photographer Wahab Bani Muflah’s Facebook page, June 15, 2023).

• The demolishing of the apartment and consequent rioting led to a wave of Palestinian reactions:
  • Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Mahmoud Abbas, accused the government of the “occupation” [Israel] of wanting to drag the entire Middle East into an “escalation and whirlpool of violence by continuing its crimes against the Palestinians,” the most recent of which was its “storming” of Nablus, “blowing up” the house of a local resident and wounding dozens of people. He claimed the policy of “collective punishment” and the unacceptable measures taken in Jerusalem were “war crimes” under international law, and Israel had to be punished and serious policies instituted to stop Israel before it was too late (Wafa, June 15, 2023).
  • Rawhi Fatouh, chairman of the Palestinian National Council, said the “occupation army” [the IDF] had instructions and a green light from the government of Israel to kill and terrify, crossing all red lines, with the objective of oppressing unarmed civilian in their homes. He called on the UN and its secretary general to take responsibility and protect the Palestinians, and begin an investigation into the “crimes of the occupation” against Palestinian civilians (Wafa, June 15, 2023).
  • Hamas issued a statement stressing the ongoing “Palestinian resistance” [anti-Israeli terrorism], claiming that demolishing the houses of “resistance” operatives and their families had failed to frighten them (Hamas website, June 15, 2023). Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem claimed Israel’s “Nazi terrorist behavior” in demolishing the house of the “heroic prisoner, Usama al-Tawil,” one of the operatives who had carried out the “activity” in Shavei Shomron, would not deter the “resistance” fighters, and would serve only to increase their motivation (Hamas website, June 15, 2023).
  • The PIJ in Judea and Samaria issued a statement claiming that the continuing “enemy crimes” and demolishing of “resistance” fighters’ houses would only strengthen the determination of the Palestinians and the “resistance” fighters to continue their “struggle” (PIJ website, June 15, 2023).

Apprehension of a Palestinian planning a terrorist attack

• On June 16, 2023, Israeli security forces operating in Lod apprehended a 16 year-old Palestinian from the Balata refugee camp in Nablus, whom they suspected of planning a terrorist attack in Israel in the immediate future in revenge for recent Israeli security force activity in the Nablus region. The youth had no organizational affiliation and no permit to enter Israel. He was detained and taken for interrogation (Israeli Security Agency media unit, June 16, 2023).
• The Palestinian media quoted the Israeli reports of his detention. Palestinian social network users stressed that his motivation was “revenge for recent IDF activity in Nablus.” According to reports, he was Muhammad Nasr Sawalma, 16 years old, from the Balata refugee camp. His family claimed he had gone to Lod to visit relatives, not to carry out a terrorist attack, and that he was not armed (al-Quds, Shehab and Watan, June 16, 2023).

Counterterrorism Activities

• This past week the Israeli security forces continued intensive counterterrorism activities in Judea and Samaria, detaining Palestinians suspected of involvement in terrorism and confiscated large quantities of weapons.
• On June 20, 2023, Israeli security forces operating in Bayt Ummar (north of Hebron) located and seized a Kalashnikov assault rifle, a handgun, ammunition and other weapons. A suspect was detained in Bayt Baraka (northeast of Hebron) when a handgun was found in his vehicle (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, June 20, 2023).

   
The weapons found in Bayt Ummar (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, June 20, 2023).

•  On June 16, 2023, Israeli security forces operating in the village of Yatma (south of Hawwara) located a Carlo improvised machinegun and an ammunition magazine. Operating in Hebron, the fighters located a handgun, three military helmets and ammunition magazines (IDF Twitter account, June 16, 2023).

Palestinian killed by Israeli security forces in the Balata refugee camp

• The Palestinian media reported that on June 13, 2023, Israeli security forces operating in the Balata refugee camp surrounded the house of the al-Salaj family and demanded the surrender of Issam al-Salaj,^[2] who was hiding inside. Rioting broke out, and armed Palestinians shot at the Israeli forces and threw IEDs at them. According to the Palestinian media, the forces retreated after having failed to detain him. The ministry of health in Ramallah announced the death of a 19 year-old Palestinian, killed in the rioting. Eight Palestinians, one of them a child, were injured, four of them seriously (Wafa, Shehab and al-Araby al-Jadeed, June 13, 2023). The AAMB Revenge and Liberation network in the Balata refugee camp claimed its operatives had clashed with the IDF forces (AAMB Revenge and Liberation Telegram channel, June 13, 2023).

   
Right: Issam al-Salaj (@miral-abusaleh Twitter account, June 13, 2023). Left: al-Salaj, on the stretcher, raises one hand in a V and holds a gun in the other (Palestine Post Twitter account, June 13, 2023).

• The Palestinian killed in the rioting was Fares Abd al-Munam Muhammad Hashash, 19 years old, from the Balata refugee camp. Fatah’s media information and cultural commission issued a mourning notice for him, claiming him as a Fatah operative (Fatah’s media information and cultural commission Facebook page, June 13, 2023). He was given a military funeral (Awda TV financial crisis, June 13, 2023).

   
Right: Fatah mourning notice (Fatah’s media information and cultural commission Facebook page, June 13, 2023). Left: Fares Hashash’s military funeral (Awda TV financial crisis, June 13, 2023).

• In reaction to his death, Rawhi Fatouh, chairman of the Palestinian National Council, called on the “parliaments of the world” and the UN agencies to intervene to halt “the terrorism of the extremist, racist, right-wing government.” He claimed attacking civilian houses with rockets and mortars was outlawed and Fares Hashash’s death was “terrorism and a crime,” for which he blamed “Netanyahu’s fascist government.” He claimed the international community did not move a finger, instead defended and armed Israel, and prevented the UN Security Council from condemning it (Wafa, June 13, 2023).
• Hamas said in a statement that “the fierce Zionist attack” against “resistance” fighters [terrorist operatives] would only increase their “firm stance,” and the “resistance” fighters would come from everywhere, as they had in Jenin, to clash with Israel and defend al-Aqsa mosque. Hamas called on the “young revolutionaries” to escalate the “resistance” (Hamas website, June 13, 2023). The PIJ in Judea and Samaria issued a similar statement, claiming the “crimes” against the Palestinians and attempts to attack jihad fighters would not “extinguish the flames of the resistance” (PIJ website, June 13, 2023).

Clashes in Husan

• On the night of June 19, 2023, Palestinians rioted against Israeli security forces in Husan (west of Bethlehem), throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at the forces. During the rioting a Palestinian who threw a Molotov cocktail at the soldiers was shot and killed (Israeli media, June 20, 2023). The ministry of health in Ramallah reported the death of Zakariya Muhammad Zakariya al-Zawl, 20 years old, who had been shot by IDF forces during the “clashes” (Wafa,  June 19, 2023).

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 July 2021

Annual Distribution of Rocket Hits since 2006

The funding from Qatar

• On June 15, 2023, after what was described as “a technical delay,” the monthly distribution of the funds from Qatar to 100,000 needy families in Gaza began. The Palestinians whose names were on the recipient list began receiving SMS messages but found it difficult to locate distribution centers using the link operated by Hamas’ Social Development Ministry (al-Quds al-Arabi, June 15, 2023).
• “Sources” reported that Qatar had expressed readiness to rebuild houses destroyed during Operation Breaking Dawn (August 2022) and Operation Shield and Arrow (May 2023). According to sources, the rebuilding will begin in the near future (“Palestine” Online, June 18, 2023).

PIJ delegation visits Iran

• A PIJ delegation headed by Ziyad al-Nakhalah, PIJ secretary general, arrived in Tehran for a formal visit. Two days later a Hamas delegation headed by Isma’il Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau, arrived. The delegations held a series of meetings with Iranian officials and members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps’ Qods Force.
• On June 14, 2023, the PIJ delegation met with Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who claimed PIJ operatives had shown good capabilities during the most recent combat in the Gaza Strip. He said the conditions for Israel had changed, and in comparison with 70 years ago, the Zionist leaders could begin worrying about the possibility that Israel would not see its 80^th year. He added that the strengthening of the “resistance” groups [terrorist organizations] in Judea and Samaria was key to defeating Israel and therefore it was the correct path to follow. He also said that the unity of activity in the political arena and on the field was important and Iran would continue supporting the Palestinians and the “resistance” organizations. Al-Nakhalah claimed PIJ operatives had left the most recent combat with “their heads held high” and said he was grateful for Iran’s unwavering support of the Palestinians and their “struggle” (PIJ website and Khamenei’s Arabic website, June 14, 2023).

   
Ali Khamenei meets with the PIJ delegation. Next to al-Nakhalah (sitting closest to Khamenei) are Muhammad al-Hindi and Nafez Assam, and facing Khamenei are members of the PIJ’s political bureau and senior figures in the Gaza Strip (Ali Khamenei’s Arabic website, June 14, 2023).

• On June 17, 2023, Ziyad al-Nakhalah met with Ali Akbar Ahmadian, the secretary of Iran’s National Security Council. Ahmadian expressed esteem for the ongoing “struggles” and “resistance” of the Palestinians, the “resistance” organizations, and especially the PIJ. He said Operation Shield and Arrow (“The Five Day War”) “proved” Israel was in retreat and the “resistance” organizations were advancing. He said support for the Palestinians and the “organizations” was one of Iran’s fundamental principles (the Iranian Fars and Mehr news agencies in Arabic, June 17, 2023).
• On June 17, 2023, Ziyad al-Nakhalah and the PIJ delegation also met with Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian Majlis (Parliament). Ghalibaf said Palestine was the “resistance axis’ ” front line and an important issue for the Muslim world. He said that with Iranian support the “resistance front” was leading Israel towards “doom and destruction.” Al-Nakhalah claimed that “all the Palestinians” in the PIJ understood the Iranian Islamic Revolution and had “made it the basis for the resistance.” They “loved” the Ayatollah Khomeini and had always been his disciples (The Iranian Fars and Mehr news agencies in Arabic, June 17,  2023).

     
Right: Ahmadian meets with al-Nakhalah. Left: Ghalibaf meets with the PIJ delegation
(Fars news agency in Arabic, June 17, 2023).

• On June 18, 2023, the PIJ delegation met with Ebrahim Raisi, the president of Iran. Al-Nakhalah expressed the Palestinians’ gratitude for Iran’s effective, continuing support. He discussed Operation Shield and Arrow, elaborating on their actions and achievements, and on Israel’s weakness. He said that at the end of the most recent round of fighting Israel was the first to announce it had reached an agreement with the Palestinian “organizations,” which he claimed was a “great victory,” the result of the Palestinians’ adherence to the path of “resistance” (IRNA in Arabic, June 19, 2023). On another occasion the members of the delegation met with Hossein-Amir Abdollahian, the Iranian’s foreign minister (IRNA in Arabic, June 19, 2023).
• On June 18, 2023, a Hamas delegation led by Isma’il Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau, arrived in Iran. The delegation included Saleh al-‘Arouri, Khalil al-Haya, both members of Hamas’ political bureau (Shehab, June 18, 2023). “Sources” revealed that the delegation had arrived following a formal invitation from Iran (Filastin al-A’an, June 18, 2023). Haniyeh met with Ali Akbar Ahmadian and told him that without Iranian support the “resistance” would not exist (Hamas Telegram channel, June 19, 2023).

• Interviewed by al-Alam TV in Tehran, Ziyad al-Nakhalah revealed that after the Hamas delegation arrived the two delegations met with the Qods Force command in Tehran. Al-Nakhalah called the meeting “very important” and an expression of Iran’s support for the forces of the Palestinian “resistance” and of the strong relations between the PIJ, Hamas and Iran. He claimed the day of the meeting was the most important of their current visit. He said that in the coming days additional “resistance” forces were expected to arrive in Tehran and join them for another meeting to assess the situation and determine the approaches of the “axis of resistance” leadership. Asked about the significance of holding the meeting at the current time, al-Nakhalah answered that the important aspect was the participants, because it would signal to both Israel and the Palestinians that they would not face Israel alone. He added that the results of the meeting would be made evident in the future (al-Alam TV website, June 19, 2023).

Statements from Saleh al-‘Arouri

• Saleh al-‘Arouri, deputy head of Hamas’ political bureau, was interviewed by al-Aqsa TV, apparently in Istanbul.^[3] He claimed “the occupation’s” policies against al-Aqsa mosque and Jerusalem were “criminal,” and said the world had to know that al-Aqsa mosque was a red line, and all options were open. He said any struggle against the “resistance” in Judea and Samaria served Israel and enabled it to control the Palestinians, stating that claims regarding a Hamas plan to take control of the PA territories were empty propaganda whose objective was to escalate the internal Palestinian conflict in the service of Israel. He also related to the following topics (Hamas website and the Watan new agency, June 14, 2023):
  • The ceasefire agreement with Israel: Saleh al-‘Arouri said the Hamas leadership’s most recent visit to Egypt was part of ongoing consultations regarding the Palestinian issue and the region, and claimed that while the leadership was in Cairo the Egyptians had not suggested a lull agreement, and all rumors to the contrary were baseless. He said they had heard from the media about economic projects in return for a lull, and stressed that Hamas had no intention of changing the “resistance equations” in return for economic or political projects.
  • Relations with the PIJ: He said the Hamas leadership meeting in Cairo with the PIJ leadership was particularly important for uniting and pacing the “concept of resistance” in a way that would serve Palestinian interests. He claimed the meeting had been successful and achieved its objectives, and the two organizations were “on the same page.”
  • A call to close ranks: He called on Fatah to employ a united national strategy which would include all the aspects of the “resistance,” political, popular and armed. He claimed Hamas had discussed a national strategy with Fatah which included support for the political efforts with world countries in exchange for support and sponsorship for all forms of “resistance,” and Hamas also agreed with all the organizations on a “resistance” strategy which included political activity alongside “military” [terrorist] activity.

Organizing for Hamas’ summer camps

• Hamas’ summer camp committee announced preparations for opening Hamas’ summer camps. Muhammad Abu Ascar, committee chairman, said this year the camps’ theme would be “Defender of Jerusalem,” in light of the “the acts of aggression against Jerusalem and attempts to Judaize it.” He said registration would begin in the middle of June and the camps would begin at the beginning of July, after Eid al-Adha (Shehab, June 4, 2023).

Mahmoud Abbas visits China

• While visiting China Mahmoud Abbas met with Li Qiang, the Chinese prime minister, and briefed him on recent developments in the Palestinian issue and the possibility of enlisting international support for full Palestinian UN membership. During the visit documents were signed for expanding Chinese-Palestinian cooperation in various fields, including the economy, culture and education. Both sides declared “strategic cooperation,” without reporting details (Wafa, June 14, 2023).
• Interviewed during the visit, Mahmoud Abbas claimed the United States was behind the difficulties of [implementing] the two-state solution because it did not promote the issue. He also said the two-state solution had been proposed at the international level a decade ago, even by the Israelis, but they neither talked about it nor implemented it. He praised China, which had given the Palestinian people economic, humanitarian, social, cultural and industrial support, and stood with the Palestinian people on every regional and international platform (Chinese news channel GCTN, June 14, 2023).

 
Mahmoud Abbas meets with the president of China (Wafa, June 14, 2023). Left: Mahmoud Abbas unveils a bust of Yasser Arafat in the garden of the Chinese Museum in Beijing (Wafa, June 16, 2023).

Palestinian leadership meetings with foreign representatives

• PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh met with Yamada Shigeo, the Japanese senior deputy foreign minister for foreign affairs. Shtayyeh stressed Israel’s “current measures to reoccupy the West Bank” and violate international and human law. He added that Israel disregarded all its signed agreements (Wafa, June 14, 2023).
• Shtayyeh also met with Sven Koopmans, the EU envoy to the peace process, in the presence of Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff, the EU representative in the PA. They discussed ways to revive the peace process and preserve the two-state solution. Shtayyeh again called on the EU to exert pressure on Israel to allow elections to be held in Jerusalem, and claimed elections were a Palestinian national interest, a start for ending the internal Palestinian rift and a strategy for preserving the political system. He said holding elections in all the districts, including Jerusalem, was a political issue, not a technical one (Wafa, June 14, 2023). Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary of the PLO’s Executive Committee, also met with both Koopmans and von Burgsdorff (Hussein al-Sheikh’s Twitter account, June 14, 2023).
• On June 13, 2023, Shtayyeh met with Ingrida Šimonytė, the Lithuanian prime minister. Shtayyeh said Europe, which was founded on its faith in international law and human rights, had to take steps against the Israeli “occupation.” He said Israel profited from the occupying Palestinian lands and exploiting national resources while preventing the Palestinians from enjoying them. He stressed the need to not only mark goods manufactured in the settlements but to prevent them from being sold in EU markets. He called on Lithuania to recognize the state of “Palestine” (Wafa, June 13, 2023).

 
Right: Muhammad Shtayyeh meets with Sven Koopmans (Wafa, June 14, 2023). Left: Muhammad Shtayyeh meets with Ingrida Šimonytė (Wafa, June 13, 2023).

• On June 19, 2023, Muhammad Shtayyeh met with an American delegation headed by Barbara Leaf, assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs (Fatah spokesman Facebook page, June 19, 2023). He called on the American administration to take steps to protect the two-state solution and recognize the state of “Palestine.” He asked for American support to join the International Monetary Fund and for the Palestinian intention to request full UN membership, and to organize the PLO and PA’s standing in the United States (Wafa, June 19, 2023). Hussein al-Sheikh also met with the American delegation (Hussein al-Sheikh’s Twitter account, June 19, 2023).

   
Right: Shtayyeh meets with Barbara Leaf (Wafa, June 19, 2023). Left: Hussein al-Sheikh meets with Barbara Leaf (Hussein al-Sheikh’s Twitter account, June 19, 2023).

• On June 16, 2023, Usama al-Kawasmi, a member of the PLO’s political committee and of Fatah’s Revolutionary Council, met with a delegation of 25 Americans, congressmen from Nevada and businessmen. He briefed them on Israel’s activity “against the Palestinians” and said Israel employed policies to destroy the two-state solution by completely ignoring the basics of the political process and signed agreements. He said that if the White House wanted to it could force to comply (Wafa, June 16, 2023).

Reactions to closing the file on the IDF investigation

• Israel’s military prosecutor’s office announced the closing of the investigation of the commanders and officers in the death of 80 year-old Omar Assad, a Palestinian with American citizenship, who died after being held for examination in January 2022 (Israeli media, June 14, 2023). The PA foreign ministry condemned ending the investigation. According to the ministry, Assad was “executed by the occupation forces, which responded only with a few disciplinary actions against his killers.” The ministry called on the United States to investigate the crime, especially in view of the facts that Assad also held American citizenship and the Palestinians had fully cooperated with the investigation to ensure the perpetrators bore responsibility (PA foreign ministry website, June 14, 2023).
• In the meantime, the IDF published the results of its investigation into the death of Muhammad al-Tamimi, the child killed by IDF fire near Neveh Tsuf. According to the findings, the child’s death and father’s wounding were a case of mistaken identity during an attack in which terrorists shot at IDF fighters. The PA foreign ministry claimed the incident also showed Israel’s lack of consideration for Palestinian life, disregard of international law and all human conventions and principles, and scorn for political positions and international public opinion. The PA foreign ministry also claimed it was absolute proof of the involvement of the Israel’s political and military leadership in the IDF’s “crimes,” especially given the lax instructions for opening fire at Palestinian “civilians” and “regarding them as objects for target practice.” The defense ministry claimed surprise at the ICC’s silence and the slowness of its work and investigations (PA foreign ministry website, June 14, 2023).
• Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem claimed by ending the investigations of the crimes of the IDF’s harassment and execution of the aged shaheed Omar Assad and of the execution on the child Muhammad al-Tamimi, Israel continued ignoring all human laws and norms. He declared that the Palestinians did not rely on IDF investigations, whose objective was to allow it to evade international courts of law (Hamas website, June 15, 2023).

Shortening the process of authorizing construction in Judea and Samaria

• On June 18, 2023, the government of Israel shortened the process for authorizing construction in the settlements and transferred the matter from the minister in the ministry of defense, Bezalel Smotrich.. That would mean a change in a mechanism which operated for 27 years, according to which every authorization for construction in the settlements required confirmation from the political leadership (Israeli media, June, 18, 2023). The Palestinians protested the new process. Hussein al-Sheikh, chairman of the authority of civilian affairs, said the PA would now boycott the joint economic conference planned for June 19, 2023. He said the Palestinian leadership would consider taking additional steps regarding relations with Israel (Hussein al-Sheikh’s Twitter account, June 18, 2023).^[4] Other reactions were the following:
• Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Mahmoud Abbas, said Israel was playing with fire, both with the issue of Jerusalem and with the issue of the settlements, knowing full well that they were red lines for the Palestinians, the Arabs and the entire world [sic]. He claimed such measures were liable to lead to more tension and a deterioration of the situation on the ground. He added that because Israel could build nothing without authorization from the United States, the United States had to take full responsibility (Sawa, June 18, 2023).
• At the weekly government meeting Muhammad Shtayyeh said they regarded the new decision as very serious and demanded that all the UN Security Council members condemn it because it could complete undermining the foundations for establishing a Palestinian state and damage regional security and stability. He said the Palestinian response would not only be condemnation, the Palestinians would defend their land (Wafa, June 19, 2023).
• The PA foreign ministry warned of the dangers inherent in the decision, calling it another step towards applying Israeli law to Judea and Samaria and completing their annexation. It called for international and particularly American pressure to be exerted on the government of Israel to prevent it from implementing the decision (PA foreign ministry website, June 18, 2023).
• Maher Salah, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, said the decision exposed the Israeli government’s real face. He called on the Arab countries, the international community and the UN agencies to condemn Israel, stressing that the decisive response would come from the “resistance” in Judea and Samaria (Hamas website, June 19, 2023).
• Tareq Salami, PIJ spokesman for Judea and Samaria, claimed the authorization would not erase “historic Palestinian national identity,” and the decision would not be implemented as long as the “resistance” existed, which would fight aggressively in every arena. He said the decision would not bring the settlers security and the settlements would disappear from Judea and Samaria as they had disappeared from the Gaza Strip because of the blows inflicted on them by the Palestinian “resistance” (Jerusalem Brigades website, June 18, 2023).

Public opinion poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR)

• On June 14, 2023, the PCPSR, Khalil Shqaqi’s research center, conducted a public opinion poll in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip between June 7 and 11, 2023. They interviewed 1,270 Palestinians in 127 randomly chosen locations in the PA territories. Many questions dealt with the nakba, which occurred 75 years ago, and some of the responses follow (PCPSR website, June 14, 2023):
• Asked what the best thing was that had happened to the Palestinian people since the nakba, 24% replied the establishment of the Islamic movements, such as Hamas and the PIJ and their participation in the armed struggle; 21% said the first and second intifadas, 18% the establishment of the PLO and 14% the establishment of the PA.
• About two thirds (64%) said they do not fear a recurrence of the Nakba while 33% say they feared it would happen again.
• When asked about the most important lesson from the Nakba for the Palestinian people, the largest percentage (44%, of which 54% in the West Bank and 28% in the Gaza Strip) said it was the need to remain in the land even in the event of war; 23% believed it was the necessity of self-reliance rather than reliance on Arab or friendly countries; and only 9% (15% in the Gaza Strip and 5% in the West Bank) believe it was the need to seek political solutions to the conflict with Israel.
• Regarding the most recent round of rocket fire between Israel and the Gaza Strip (Operation Shield and Arrow), 32% (41% in the West Bank and only 18% in the Gaza Strip), believed that no side won believe all “armed resistance groups” in the Gaza Strip won; 19% believed the PIJ won and 6% believed Hamas as won.
• If presidential elections were held today between Mahmoud Abbas and Ismail Haniyeh, only 46% would participate and from among those, Abbas would receive 33% and Haniyeh 56% of the votes (compared to 52% for Haniyeh and 36% for Abbas three months ago).
• Asked what the most pressing problem was for the Palestinians today, 38% said the Israeli “occupation,” 22% said corruption in the PA, 18% said unemployment and 13% said the separation between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

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:^[5]
  • June 19, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between the Khader Junction and Beitar (west of Bethlehem). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • June 19, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus at the Husan Junction (west of Bethlehem). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • June 19, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between Nebi Elias and Azzun (east of Qalqilya). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • June 18, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Luban al-Sharqiya (northwest of Ramallah). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • June 18, 2023: A Molotov cocktail was thrown at an Israeli vehicle near al-Aroub (northeast of Hebron). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • June 18, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus on the Nebi Elias bypass road (east of Qalqilya). On June 14, as well, Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus in the same location. No casualties were reported; the bus was damaged.
  • June 18, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between the settlements of Homesh and Shavei Shomron (east of Tulkarm). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • June 16, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus south of Ofra (northeast of Ramallah). No casualties were reported; the bus was damaged.
  • June 15, 2023: A Molotov cocktail was thrown at the fence of the settlement of Carmei Tsur (north of Hebron). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • June 15, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between the settlements of Tapuah and Migdalim (southeast of Nablus). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • June 15, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle in Hawwara (south of Nablus). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • June 14, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between the Khader Junction and Beitar (west of Bethlehem). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • June 14, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus and other vehicles between Azzun and the Ma’aleh Shomron Junction (east of Qalqilya). No casualties were reported; vehicles were damaged.