Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (May 31 – June 6, 2023)

• During the early morning hours of June 3, 2023, an Egyptian border policeman infiltrated Israeli territory, and shot and killed two IDF fighters manning a post on the Egyptian border. Several hours later, when attempts to communicate with the two proved futile, an IDF force dispatched to verify the situation found them both dead. A large number of forces were deployed to the area and instituted a search. In the afternoon the forces identified the Egyptian policeman in Israeli territory. An exchange of fire developed and the Egyptian was shot and killed. One IDF soldier was shot and later died; another was wounded. IDF forces continued searching the area to negate the presence of additional terrorists (IDF spokesman, June 3, 2023).
• According to the initial investigation, Muhammad Salah, 23 years old, from al-Qaliuba northern Egypt, premeditated the attack. He deserted his position, and armed with a gun and two knives, he walked the three miles to an emergency crossing. He used a knife to cut the zip ties closing the crossing and entered Israeli territory. He then walked to the IDF post, stood in a blind spot, shot the soldiers and ran away. According to initial assessment he was working alone and not a member of any organization, although it is suspected he had a jihadist-religious background; a copy of the Qur’an was found on his person.
• A spokesman for the Egyptian army claimed an “operative in the security forces securing the border was looking for drug smugglers.” According to the Egyptians, he broke through the crossing and “in an exchange of fire three Israeli soldiers were killed and two wounded;” searches were conducted and legal measures instituted. The spokesman offered condolences to the families of the soldiers who had been killed and wished the wounded a speedy recovery (Egyptian army spokesman Twitter account, June 3, 2023).
• The Palestinian terrorist organizations did not formally react to the attack, apparently because of their relations with Egypt. However, unofficially, the Palestinian media outlets and social networks touted the “IDF’s operational failure” and praised the Egyptian border guard for killing the soldiers. They also published cartoons expressing their glee (Shehab, June 3, 2023). Many mentioned Suleiman Khater, the Egyptian policeman who, on October 5, 1985, shot and killed seven Israelis, four of them children.

Vehicular ramming attack in Hawwara

• On June 5, 2023, a Palestinian tried to run over IDF soldiers near the Einabus Junction in the Hawwara region. One of the soldiers shot at the vehicle but it sped away. Two soldiers were superficially injured. A short time later IDF forces located the vehicle and detained the driver. A knife was found in the vehicle (IDF spokesman, June 5, 2023).

Shots fired at an IDF force near Nablus

• On June 2, 2023, shots were fired from Nablus at an IDF force operating to the northeast of the city. The force returned fire. An IDF fighter was wounded and evacuated for medical treatment. IDF forces searched the area to find the shooters (IDF spokesman, June 2, 2023).
• The Palestinian media reported an Israeli soldier had been superficially wounded by shots fired by armed Palestinians in Nablus at an IDF post (Quds News, June 2, 2023).

Shots fired at Neveh Tzuf

• On June 2, 2023, two Palestinians shot at the settlement of Neveh Tzuf (near Ramallah). An IDF force securing a post near the settlement returned fire. The forces searched the region to find the shooters. Two uninvolved Palestinians were wounded, apparently by IDF fire, and received first aid at the entrance to the settlement. One of them, Muhammad Haitham al-Tamimi, a three year-old boy from Nebi Saleh, was critically wounded and medevacked by IDF helicopter to a hospital in Israel. The IDF announced its regret at having harmed uninvolved Palestinians, adding it was investigating and would work to prevent such incidents in the future (IDF spokesman, June 2, 2023). On June 5, 2023, the child died.

   
Right: The shots fired at Neveh Tzuf (IDF spokesman Twitter account, June 2, 2023). Left: Muhammad al-Tamimi (Hussein al-Sheikh’s Twitter account, June 5, 2023).

• Al-Tamimi’s death was widely covered. The Palestinian leadership called it “an Israeli crime against Palestinian children.”
  • PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh said he was shocked and deeply sorrowed by al-Tamimi’s death. He demanded the “criminals” be prosecuted and not allowed to evade punishment (Facebook page of PA government spokesman Ibrahim Melhem, June 5, 2023).
  • The PA foreign ministry called his death “a crime against humanity,” and called for an international investigation of the killing of Palestinian children in general and of al-Tamimi in particular, as well as for a UN standing committee and the International Criminal Court to take responsibility. He claimed Israel’s internal investigations were worthless and no more than attempts to fool the world, and in most cases ended with the release of the killer and the truth of the involvement of the political and military leadership’s being concealed (Wafa, June 5, 2023).
  • Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary of the PLO’s Executive Committee, issued an enraged response under the picture of the child, claiming the “occupation” was “terrorism” and had lost its humanity and moral compass (Hussein al-Sheikh’s Twitter account, June 5, 2023).
  • Hamas claimed the “occupation’s ongoing crimes” against Palestinian children, whose most recent victim was al-Tamimi, required Israel be held accountable for its crimes against the Palestinians (Hamas website, 2023).
  • The PIJ in Judea and Samaria issued a mourning notice claiming the “crime” of attacking Palestinian children and [other] innocents was “proof of the fascist occupation’s criminality.” The notice called for the escalation of the “resistance” [terrorist attacks against Israel] to repel the “aggression” and avenge the deaths of the shaheeds (PIJ website, June 5, 2023).

Critical Terrorist Attacks in Judea and Samaria since June 2021^[1]

Counterterrorism Activities

• This past week the Israeli security forces continued intensive counterterrorism activities in Judea and Samaria, focusing on Jenin, Nablus, Jericho and Hebron. They detained Palestinians suspected of involvement in terrorism and confiscated large quantities of weapons, a lathe used in the manufacture of weapons and funds for the financing to terrorist activities:
  • On the night of June 6, 2023, an Israeli security force operating in Bani Na’im (east of Hebron) seized a lathe used in the manufacture of weapons. In the village of Danaba (east of Tulkarm) an IED was thrown at the forces, who responded with gunfire. In the village of Bayt Ummar (north of Hebron) the forces seized an improvised Carlo machinegun (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, June 6, 2023).
  • On June 5, 2023, an Israeli security force operating in the village of Anabta (northwest of Nablus) seized weapons and funds meant for financing terrorist activities; an IED was thrown at the soldiers. An M-16 assault rifle, a handgun, ammunition magazines and other weapons were seized in Hebron (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, June 5, 2023).

   
Right: The Carlo machine gun and magazine from Bayt Ummar (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, June 6, 2023).
Left: Weapons from Hebron (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, June 5, 2023).

• On the morning of June 2, 2023, Israeli security forces operating in Bani Na’im detained a Palestinian suspected of involvement in the shots fired at an IDF force near Kiryat Arba on May 29, 2023. A gun, ammunition and several IEDs were seized (IDF spokesman, June 2, 2023).

• On the night of June 1, 2023, Israeli security forces operated in Tulkarm to detain wanted Palestinians. A riot developed, during which armed Palestinians threw IEDs at the forces. The Jerusalem Brigades, the PIJ’s military-terrorist wing, claimed responsibility for attacking the “occupation forces” with IEDs in Tulkarm. According to the announcement the Jerusalem Brigades’ Tulkarm Battalion “bravely responded” to the “aggression,” prevented the “IDF invasion” from attaining its goals and wounded some of the soldiers. It also claimed to have begun using a new IED called “Sword 1,” and said more surprises could be expected in the future (Jerusalem Brigades’ Telegram channel, May 30, 2023).
• On June 1, 2023, an Israeli security force operated in the village of Mazraa al-Sharqia (northwest of Ramallah) and seized a hunting rifle, a military baton, a handgun and other military equipment

     
The weapons from Mazraa al-Sharqia (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, June 1, 2023).

• On the morning of May 31, 2023, Israeli security forces detained Amer Ahmed Hassan Musharqa, a PIJ terrorist from the Jenin refugee camp wanted in connection with support for local terrorist activities (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, May 31, 2023).

Palestinian surrenders to the IDF

• Na’im Darass Hassan Darass, 34 years old, from Ramallah, who carried out the vehicular ramming attack in Hawwara on May 21, 2023, turned himself in to the Israeli security forces on May 23, 2023 (IDF spokesman, June 1, 2023).

Lion’s Den network leader surrenders to the PA security forces

•  On June 2, 2023, according to Palestinian social network reports, primarily those affiliated with Fatah, Khaled Tebeila, a deputy Lion’s Den network commander, turned himself in to the PA security forces in Nablus, asking them to protect him. In addition to the Lion’s Den network he is also an officer in the General Military Training Commission of the PA security services (Walid Salman’s Twitter account, June 2, 2023; @fateh_pal65 Twitter account, which represents itself as Fatah’s official Twitter account, June 2, 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

Hamas and PIJ delegations in Egypt

• Delegations of members of the political bureaus of both Hamas and the PIJ left the Gaza Strip on June 1, 2023 and entered Egypt. At Egyptian invitation, on June 3, 2023, they were joined by delegations headed by Isma’il Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau and Ziyad al-Nakhalah, PIJ secretary general.
• Several meetings were held (al-Mayadeen, June 1, 2023; Hamas website and al-Quds al-Youm, June 3, 2023):
  • On June 4, 2023, Hamas and PIJ representatives met to discuss various topics, including ways to develop and strengthen their strategic ties to serve the “resistance” [anti-Israeli terrorism]. They stressed they would continue to choose “resistance” as their “only alternative.” They also stressed the importance of Egypt’s role in supporting the Palestinians.
  • Isma’il Haniyeh and other members of the Hamas delegation visited Ziyad al-Nakhalah to offer their condolences on the deaths of the organization’s commanders in the most recent engagement [Operation Shield and Arrow] (Hamas website, June 5, 2023).

• • Headed by Ziyad al-Nakhalah, the PIJ delegation met with Abbas Kamal, head of Egyptian General Intelligence. Da’ud Shehab, responsible for the PIJ’s media information office, called the meeting “positive and productive,” adding they had discussed mutually important issues, including the political situation and the situation on the ground, the recent escalation in Gaza and the situation in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem. He said the PIJ had stressed its positions and its consistent defense of the Palestinians, their land and holy sites (Paltoday, June 5, 2023).
  • Ziyad al-Nakhalah and the members of the PIJ political bureau met with the new commanders of the organization’s military-terrorist wing, who had arrived in Egypt from the Gaza Strip (al-Quds, June 6, 2023).
• During the visit it was reported that the Egyptians had authorized Isma’il Haniyeh to enter the Gaza Strip and he would most likely arrive in the coming days (al-Quds, June 4, 2023). Haniyeh has not been in the Gaza Strip since 2019.

Ziyad al-Nakhalah meets with Iranian media official

• Before he went to Egypt, Ziyad al-Nakhalah met in Beirut with Payman Jebeli, head of the Islamic Republic Broadcasting (IRIB). Al-Nakhalah boasted that [the “resistance’s”] greatest achievements [in Operation Shield and Arrow] were “the crushing of the Israeli leadership’s and public’s morale” and creating a “new regional equation.” He claimed that the “resistance axis'” cooperation had made them determined to continue their chosen path until the complete victory over Israel. He praised the support Iran gave them (PIJ website, May 30, 2023).

Explosion in a Hamas military-terrorist wing post

• On the evening of June 2, 2023, a series of explosions were heard in Hamas’ military wing Badr Post, near the al-Shati refugee camp in the western part of Gaza City. A correspondent for the Roya TV channel reported they had been caused by the hot eastern desert wind. He added that the area had been cordoned off by military-terrorist operatives and civil defense units had arrived to deal with the fire which had broken out in the post (Sada News, June 2, 2023, Roya TV website, June 2, 2023). Iyad al-Buzum, spokesman for the ministry of the interior in Gaza, called the incident “a chance explosion” in a “resistance” post which had not led to casualties. He said the police and civil defense were employing the necessary measures at the site (ministry of the interior in Gaza website, June 2, 2023).

 
The fire in the Badr Post (Right: Palinfo Twitter account, June 2, 2023. Left: Yahya Hilles’ Twitter account, June 2, 2023).

Distribution of funds from Qatar

• Mohammed al-Emadi, chairman of Qatar’s National Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza, reported that the Committee, in cooperation with the Qatar Development Fund, would continue the efforts and coordination necessary for the distribution of funds to needy families in the Gaza Strip. He said $100 would be distributed to each of 100,000 needy families during the first half of June 2023. He added the funds would be paid though the UN at 300 distribution centers in the Gaza Strip (Qatar Committee website, May 31, 2023).

Distribution of funds to families of shaheeds in the Gaza Strip

• The al-Nasser Charitable Association announced that the families of shaheeds killed in the second intifada, Operation Protective Edge, Operation Guardian of the Walls and the return marches [at the Gaza Strip border] would receive grants from them and the Iranian Martyrs’ Foundation between June 4 and 15, 2023 (al-Nasser Facebook page, June 2, 2023). It was the second time this year the al-Nasser Charitable Association, with the support of the Iranian Martyrs’ Foundation, distributed funds to the families. The first time was in March 2023 before Ramadan.
• According to reports, on previous occasions families with children younger than 15 and older than 60 had not received financial aid, enraging many Palestinians who vented their anger on the social networks. For example, Khalil Amer Abu Ibrahim wrote, “Is someone 16 years old a shaheed of the homeland and someone 14 years old only a number?! Dozens of families lost their children because jihad [i.e., PIJ] operatives hid out in their building. I lost my three children in an attack, they were human shields for some anonymous resistance operative hiding in my house” (al-Nasser Association Facebook page, June 2, 2023).
• In the meantime, according to reports, on May 30, 2023, the al-Nasser Charitable Association and the Iranian Martyr’s Foundation distributed $120,000 of Iranian money to families of Operation Shield and Arrow shaheeds. Nasser al-Sheikh Ali, director of the al-Nasser Association, said 35 families had received a one-time grant, adding that their names would be included in the Association’s comprehensive program and they would receive permanent financial aid “to provide for their daily needs” (Paltoday, May 30, 2023).

 
Distributing the funds. Right: A picture of Iyad al-Abd Hassani, in charge of Jerusalem Brigades operations, killed in Operation Shield and Arrow. The caption called him “the commander of Operation Free Men’s Revenge.” Left: To the right is a picture of Mahmoud al-Hawaja, who founded the PIJ’s military-terrorist wing and was its first commander (Paltoday, May 30, 2023).

Assessing the damages of Operation Shield and Arrow

• The head of the repairs department of Gaza’s ministry of public works and housing held a press conference where he reported they had completed mapping all the dwelling units damaged during Operation Shield and Arrow. According to the findings, more than 3,300 units had been damaged, 120 of which had been completely destroyed, 120 partially damaged but remained unfit for human habitation, and others which had been damaged but were still fit for human habitation. Jawad al-Agha, deputy minister of public works and housing, said that between the “round of escalation” in 2008 [Operation Cast Lead] and 2023, 1,980 buildings had been completely destroyed and not rebuilt, [which would cost an estimated] $97.5 million, and more than 90,000 buildings had been damaged and not yet repaired, [which would cost an estimated] $108 million. He also said Israel had vetoed the rebuilding of high-rise apartment buildings, especially those destroyed in Operation Guardian of the Walls (May 2021), whose reconstruction would cost about $30 million (Safa, June 4, 2023).

Supervision of Gazan fishermen

• The naval police in the Gaza Strip have begun providing shipping boats with GPS devices to ensure the fishermen’s safety and give them direction should they sail beyond the borders of the permitted fishing zones. According to the naval police, the system will also reinforce supervision of the Gaza Strip’s maritime borders and help combat smuggling. Every boat on the open sea will have a telephone connection to the naval police points along the coast (ministry of the interior in Gaza website, June 3, 2023).;

The Palestinian leadership meets with foreign diplomats

• Mahmoud Abbas met with Peter Tschentscher, the president of the German Bundesrat.^[2] Mahmoud Abbas briefed him on recent developments and expressed his esteem for Germany’s support of Palestinian rights and its participation in constructing Palestinian institutions and infrastructure. He also said the Palestinians wanted to strengthen bilateral relations.
• While visiting Egypt, PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh met with Abbas Kamal, head of Egyptian General Intelligence. He told Kamal they had great esteem for Egypt’s efforts to support the Palestinian issue, and stressed the depth and uniqueness of their bilateral relations (Muhammad Shtayyeh’s Facebook page, May 30, 2023). He also met with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, who stressed Egypt’s support for the rights of the Palestinian people, adding that the Egyptian government would continue its initiative to rebuild the Gaza Strip launched by President el-Sisi two year ago (Mostafa Madbouly’s Facebook page, May 31, 2023).
• Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary of the PLO’s Executive Committee, met with the Chinese ambassador to the PA. They discussed preparations for Mahmoud Abbas’ visit to China, which is scheduled for the middle of this month (Hussein al-Sheikh’s Twitter account, June 1, 2023).

Funding UNRWA

• On June 2, 2023, a meeting of the Pledging Conference for UNRWA was held at the UN. Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA commissioner, said the Conference member states had pledged $812.3 million, of which $107.2 million were new donations (UNRWA website June 2, 2023).
• Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian delegate to the UN, who participated in the conference, said they were worried by the UNRWA’s financial crisis, which was liable to peak during the last four months of 2023. He said they would continue their efforts to convince other countries to contribute to the agency (palsawa, June 4, 2023).
• Ahmed Abu Houli, a member of the PLO’s Executive Committee and head of its deputy of refugees’ affairs, said that despite the promises to support UNRWA, the pledges were insufficient. He said UNRWA’s budget deficit after the conference would be $819.7 million, and called on the UN and Secretary General Antonio Guterres to increase UN financial participation (Wafa, June 3, 2023).
• According to recent reports, UNRWA signed an agreement with the United States administration to renew America’s annual contribution to UNRWA, which was suspended under Trump. Hamas condemned the renewal of American funding because, it claimed, it represented the agency’s surrender to American pressure under the guise of a financial crisis (Shehab, June 3, 2023). Relations between UNRWA and Hamas became strained when Matias Shamali, UNRWA director in the Gaza Strip, was interviewed by Israeli TV’s Channel 12 after Operation Breaking Dawn (August 2022), and called the IDF’s attacks “very sophisticated” and not directed against civilians. After the interview Hamas declared Shamali and his deputy “undesirable” and they left the Gaza Strip.

Boycotting Israel

• Ramzi Awda, chairman of the “international academic campaign against the occupation and apartheid,” wrote about the increase in the number of Western municipalities which were boycotting Israel. He wrote that various measures had to be taken to preserve the “wave,” among them researching the environmental factors that caused the boycotts, which would aid in creating conditions to multiply their numbers; showing respect for those municipalities; and twinning them with Palestinian municipalities. The Palestinian municipalities, he wrote, had to ask their twins to boycott Israel, and provide all the documents necessary to denounce Israel’s policies; and increase the ties between official diplomacy and popular diplomacy to garner support from Western municipalities for the Palestinian issue and a boycott of Israel. He wrote they had to work in the international arena at the municipal level to create international pressure that could change the policies of Western countries in favor of the Palestinians, especially in preparation for the vote to accept “Palestine” as a full UN member (al-Hayat al-Jadeeda, June 4, 2023).
• In the meantime, according to reports, other cities have decided to sever relations with Israel. The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), which manages the BDS movement, welcomed the decisions (Wafa, May 17 and 31, 2023).
  • Edmilson Rodrigues, mayor of Belém in the State of Pará, Brazil, announced the freeze of establishment relations with Israel, including the cancellation of the twin cities agreement with Tel Aviv, in response to what he claimed was “the apartheid crime against the Palestinians and the repeated violations of Palestinian rights.”
  • The Verviers, Belgium city council decided to sever all relations with Israel to strengthen its support for the Palestinians.

Administrative detainees threaten a hunger strike

• The committee of administrative detainees set up by the emergency committee of the security prisoners in Israeli jails announced that in light of the failure of the negotiations with the Israel Prison Service administration to end administrative detentions, the administrative detainees of all the [Palestinian terrorist] organizations would begin a “struggle” with the slogan “the revolution of freedom – the intifada of the administrative prisoners.” The “struggle” will include an unlimited hunger strike which will begin on June 18, 2023 and the continuation of the boycott of the courts [which began in September 2022). The committee called on the PA to adopt the administrative prisoners’ demands and to activate all their diplomatic tools for exerting pressure on Israel (Wafa and Safa, June 5, 2023).

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:^[3]
  • June 5, 2023: Rocks and burning tires were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Dir Abu Mishal (northwest of Ramallah). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • June 4, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Bayt Ummar (Gush Etzion region). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • June 4, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between the settlements of Homesh and Shavei Shomron (northwest of Nablus). Three Israelis were injured; the vehicle was damaged.
  • June 4, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus near the settlement of Na’ama (north of Jericho). No casualties were reported; the bus was damaged.

   
The bus damaged by rocks thrown near the settlement of Na’ama.

• • June 4, 2023: Rocks and a Molotov cocktail were thrown at an Israeli bus and other vehicles near Givat Asaf (east of Ramallah). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • June 4, 2023: A Molotov cocktail was thrown at the settlement of Karmei Tzur (north of Hebron). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • June 2, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near al-Mugheir (northeast of Nablus). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • June 1, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Hawwara (south of Nablus). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • June 1, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near al-Khader (west of Bethlehem). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • June 1, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Halhul (north of Hebron). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • May 31, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Luban al-Sharqia (northeast of Ramallah). One Israeli was injured; the vehicle was damaged.

• May 31, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near the T-junction southeast of Bethlehem. One Israeli was injured; the vehicle was damaged.

• • May 31, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near al-Mugheir (northeast of Nablus). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • May 30, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near the village of Burqa (east of Ramallah). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • May 30, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus near the settlement of Mevo Dotan (southwest of Jenin). No casualties were reported; the bus was damaged.
  • May 30, 2023: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus near Ni’lin (northwest of Ramallah). One Israeli was injured; vehicle was damaged.