Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (October 20-25, 2022)

Stabbing attack

• On the afternoon of October 22, 2022, a Palestinian stabbed an Israeli pedestrian in the back, critically wounding him. The attack took place near French Hill in Jerusalem. The terrorist then fled the scene. Israeli security forces who arrived at the site closed off the area and searched for the attacker. He was located by an Israeli policeman in a soccer field in Sheikh Jarrah, about one kilometer from the scene of the attack, and threatened to stab the policeman. He was shot and wounded (Israel Police Force Twitter account, October 22, 2022).
•  The Palestinian who carried out the attack was Muhammad Rajab Abu Qutaish, 16 years old, from Dahit al-Salam in Jerusalem. He confessed to stabbing the civilian, claiming he wanted to avenge the killing of Uday al-Tamimi, who carried out the shooting attacks at the Shuafat Crossing and near Ma’aleh Adumim (QudsN Twitter account, October 22, 2022; Sama, October 22, 2022).

   
Right: Muhammad Rajab Abu Qutaish (QudsN Twitter account, October 22, 2022). Left: The knife used in the attack (Israel Police Force Twitter account, October 22, 2022).

• Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem called the stabbing a “heroic action,” an uptick in the Palestinian people’s revolution. He said the “operations” were increasing and would make the ground burn under Israel’s feet [sic] (al-Risalah, October 22, 2022).

Shooting attack in Ma’aleh Adumim

• On October 19, 2022, a Palestinian carried out a shooting attack at a roadblock near Ma’aleh Adumim. Armed with a gun, he went to the roadblock and opened fire at the civilian guards securing the site. They returned fire, killing him. One guard was wounded. A knife and fragmentation grenade were found on the body. According to the initial investigation, the terrorist went to the al-Za’im Roadblock and walked along the road talking on the phone. Arriving at the entrance to Ma’aleh Adumim, he took out a gun and opened fire at the guards securing the roadblock (Ynet, October 19, 2022). He was identified as Uday al-Tamimi, who carried out the shooting attack at the Shuafat Crossing on October 8, 2022, killing an IDF soldier; the Israeli security forces had been searching for him for 11 days.

    
Left: Mourning notice issued by Hamas for Uday al-Tamimi (Paldf Twitter account, October 19, 2022). Center: The terrorist continues shooting at the security guards after he was shot and fell to the ground. Right: Uday al-Tamimi (al-Quds, October 20, 2022).

•  A campaign was begun in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip to glorify al-Tamimi. Ceremonies, marches and rallies have been held, and local residents have been requested to go out into the streets to show their respect. In addition, a general strike was called in Judea, Samaria and east Jerusalem. The terrorist organizations’ joint operations room ordered sirens to be sounded in the Gaza Strip in their memory. Senior Hamas figures were photographed observing a minute of silence.

• Fatah and the PLO expressed admiration for al-Tamimi. Muhammad al-Madani, a member of Fatah’s Central Committee and a mobilization and organization representative, headed a delegation of senior Hamas figures to the mourning tent erected for him. Many others, including operatives of the PA’s security forces and Laila Ghannam, Ramallah and al-Bireh district governor, also went to the mourning tent (Facebook page of Fatah’s media and culture bureau, October 22, 2022; Wafa, October 22, 2022).

 
Right: Mourning tent in Nablus (Facebook page of Fatah’s media and culture bureau, October 22, 2022). Left: Laila Ghannam, governor of the Ramallah-al-Bireh district, at the mourning tent near Jerusalem (Laila Ghannam’s Facebook page, October 21, 2022).

   
Right: Palestinian security force operatives pay their respects (Facebook page of the Palestinian security forces, October 22, 2022). Left: Ibrahim al-Nabusi’s^[1] father shakes hands with the secretary of the Fatah branch in the mourning tent, Akhbar al-Yawm, October 22, 2022).

• According to the terrorist organizations’ joint operations room in the Gaza Strip, al-Tamimi taught Israel “important lessons” with the first shooting attack, its unsuccessful pursuit of him for more than ten days, and another attack where it had been least expected. Suheil al-Hindi, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, gave a speech during a solidarity march held in the northern Gaza Strip, calling al-Tamimi “an inspiration for all the youth in the West Bank” (al-Risalah, October 21, 2022). Hezbollah also issued a mourning notice for him, praising his “heroism,” and claiming that his determination and blood [sic] would serve as an example for the next generations and the entire Palestinian people (al-‘Ahad, October 20, 2022).

Significant Terrorist Attacks in Judea and Samaria since January 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. Operations focused in Nablus, where Israeli security forces destroyed the Lion’s Den terrorist network:

Targeted killing of Lion’s Den terrorist operative in Nablus

• On October 23, 2022 Tamer al-Kilani, a senior Lion’s Den terrorist operative, died in a targeted killing when a motorcycle he was walking next to was detonated. Tamer Ziyad al-Kilani, 33 years old, was married and the father of two children. He was a released prisoner who had served eight years in Israeli jails for membership in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s (PFLP) military-terrorist wing (Snd News website, October 23, 2022). He was involved in dispatching the terrorist who was apprehended in Jaffa in September 2022 who planned to carry out a terrorist attack in Tel Aviv. He was also involved in the October 11, 2022 attack in which an IDF soldier was killed. The PFLP issued a mourning notice for him.

    
Right: Tamer al-Kilani (Lion’s Den Telegram channel October 23, 2022). Left: The motorcycle that killed Tamer al-Kilani (Dunia al-Watan, October 23, 2022).

• The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned al-Kilani’s “execution,” calling it a “war crime” and a “crime against humanity” which joined the other crimes of execution carried out by Israel (PA foreign ministry website, October 23, 2022). Senior Fatah figure Muhammad Hamdan condemned what he called “a cowardly killing proving the weakness of Israel and its security organizations” (Wafa, October 23, 2022).
• Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem claimed the targeted killing was a “new crime joining the list of Israel’s crimes.” He claimed the way al-Kilani was killed exposed Israel’s “weakness” in its “struggle” against the “resistance” [terrorist organizations], especially against the Lion’s Den network in Nablus (Shehab, October 23, 2022). The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) claimed the targeted killing would not undermine the will of the “fighters” to “become a fire that would increase and not be extinguished” (PIJ website, October 23, 2022).
• After the mass-attended funeral held for al-Kilani, the Lion’s Den network issued a statement accusing Israel of responsibility for his death and threatening severe reprisals. The Lion’s Den claimed that a “collaborator” with Israel had positioned the booby-trapped motorcycle. A video uploaded to the Palestinian social networks showed an anonymous figure wearing a crash helmet and carrying two bags wheeling the motorcycle, parking it and leaving on foot (Safa, October 23, 2022; Lion’s Den Telegram channel, October 23, 2022).

  
Right: The body of Tamer al-Kilani wrapped for burial in a Lion’s Den flag. Left: Armed, masked Lion’s Den operatives at the funeral (Shehab Twitter account, October 23, 2022).

•   On October 24, 2022 the PFLP and its military-terrorist wing, the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, held a symbolic funeral for Tamer al-Kilani in the Gaza Strip. Mahmoud al-Ras, a member of the PFLP’s political bureau and in charge of its activities in the Gaza Strip, gave a speech claiming that the networks whose operatives come from all the [terrorist] organizations, which are capable of carrying out “resistance,” are a genuine, concrete expression of the “united resistance front” which the Palestinians have been seeking for a long time” (Right: Bowabat al-Hadaf, October 23, 2022; left, Paltoday, October 24, 2022).

   
The symbolic funeral held in the Gaza Strip (Right: Bowabat al-Hadaf, October 23, 2022; left, Paltoday, October 24, 2022).

Israeli security force raid in the Kasbah in Nablus

• On the night of October 24, 2022, Israeli security forces raided a Lion’s Den safe house in the Kasbah (Old City) in Nablus, which was used as a laboratory for the preparation of IEDs. Five Lion’s Den operatives were killed and the laboratory was detonated. One of the operatives was Wadi al-Huh, 31 years old, who lived in the Kasbah, and was the operation’s primary target. He headed the Lion’s Den network, which was responsible for a series of terrorist attacks and attempted terrorist attack against Israeli targets. He was also in charge of preparing IEDs and acquiring weapons (IDF spokesman, October 25, 2022). During the raid the Nablus Battalion of the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades reported that the PA security forces, supporting the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades and Lion’s Den operatives, were clashing with IDF forces (al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades Telegram channel, October 25, 2022).
• The ministry of health in Ramallah reported the deaths of five Palestinians: Hamdi Sabih Ramzi Qayam, 30 yeas old; Ali Khaled Omar Antar, 26 years old; Hamdi Muhammad Sabri Hamed Sharaf, 35 years old. Wadi Sabih al-Huh, 31 years old, and Mashal Zahi Ahmed Baghdadi, 27 years old (ministry of health in Ramallah Facebook page, October 25, 2022). According to reports, Mahmoud al-Bana, a Lion’s Den commander, was wounded and taken to a hospital (Telegram channel of the Awda channel of Fatah’s media and cultural bureau, October 25, 2022).
•  Wadi al-Huh was a Lion’s Den commander (Safa, October 25, 2022). The social networks represented him as the network’s commander (Facebook page of Fatah’s media and cultural bureau, October 25, 2022; Facebook page of Fares Toryake, October 25, 2022). Fatah’s media and cultural bureau Facebook page represented him as a senior Fatah operative in Nablus. The al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades said in an announcement that Wadi al-Huh, 28 years old, was a prominent commander (al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades Telegram channel, October 25, 2022).

   
Right: Wadi al-Huh (Twitter account of Mustafa Abu Alrub, October 25, 2022). Left: Mourning notice issued by the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades for Wadi al-Huh (al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades Telegram channel, October 25, 2022).

• In response to the events, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Mahmoud Abbas, said Mahmoud Abbas was holding urgent contacts to end “Israel’s aggression” in Nablus, was closely monitoring the events, and praised the firm stance of local residents in defending their land (Wafa, October 25, 2022). PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh sent condolences on behalf of the government to the families of the Palestinians killed in Nablus and Ramallah. He called on the UN and international human rights organizations for urgent intervention to stop the “aggression of the security forces,” who [allegedly] “used anti-tank missiles and UAVs” to attack local residents (Muhammad Shtayyeh’s Facebook page, October 25, 2022). The inter-organizational emergency committee in the Nablus district declared a “day of rage” and a general strike (Telegram channel of the Awda channel of Fatah’s media and cultural bureau, October 25, 2022).
• Hamas issued a mourning notice claiming the clashes sent a message of strength and defiance to Israel (“the occupation”) from Nablus and the Lion’s Den (Hamas website, October 25, 2022). Isma’il Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau, said the “victims” would only serve to fan the flames of the “revolution” in the West Bank, and the Israel would regret having carried out its “crimes.” He added that the Lion’s Den was a force as big as all “Palestine,” and would continue to serve as a hothouse for all “resistance” fighters [terrorist operatives] (Hamas website, October 25, 2022).

Reactions to the closure imposed on Nablus

• On October 12, 2022, given the extensive terrorist activity carried out from the Nablus region, the IDF spokesman announced the closing of the roads leading into and out of Nablus, leaving only a few open where passage would be subject to strict security check (IDF Twitter account, October 12, 2022). The closure led to unrest among local residents. Mahmoud Abbas claimed imposing the closure was a “declaration of war” against the Palestinian people and its leadership. Nabil Abu Rudeineh reported Mahmoud Abbas was closely monitoring the events in Nablus and the killing of Palestinians, which could lead to the implementation of the PLO Central Council’s decision to cut off relations with Israel (Wafa, October 19, 2022).

• The bureau of the Palestinian national economy reported a drop of more than 60% in economic activity in the Nablus district. The bureau added that efforts were being made, in collaboration with the private sector and various NGOs, to deal with the consequences of the “Israeli aggression” against the district’s economy (Wafa, October 22, 2022). Shaher Sa’ad, chairman of the PA workers’ union, said almost 7,000 Palestinians, who usually work in Israel, the industrial zones and settlements, were currently unemployed (Wafa, October 24, 2022, Dunia al-Watan, October 24, 2022).
• In Nablus Palestinians began organizing to break the closure. On October 12, 2022, the Nablus district’s emergency committee held a meeting where they decided to remain in constant session to provide services for local residents (Wafa, October 12, 2022).
• On October 24, 2022, a delegation of PA ministers toured the district to examine the residents’ needs. The ministers met with Ibrahim Ramadan, governor of the Nablus district, and representatives of district institutions and activists, and are expected to present a report to the government (Wafa, October 24, 2022; Dunia al-Watan, October 24, 2022). During the tour Mai al-Kayla, minister of health, praised the residents and sent greetings to them, the shaheeds, the shaheeds’ families, the prisoners, and all the residents of the Nablus district, in the city and the villages. It was the first time any PA minister had praised the Lion’s Den terrorist network (al-Fajr TV website, October 24, 2022, Facebook page of al-Madinah TV, Nablus, October 24, 2022).

Israeli security force activity in Jenin

•   On the night of October 20, 2022, Israeli security forces detained wanted Palestinians in Jenin, including a PIJ operative suspected of involvement in terrorist activity and attacks. During the detentions armed Palestinians threw IEDs and shot at the forces, who returned fire (IDF Twitter account, October 21, 2022). The PIJ operative is Baraa Kifah Nazmi al-Awna, 22 years old, whose father, Kifah Nazmi al-Awna, is a released prisoner and a lieutenant colonel in the Palestinian preventive security forces, and whose uncle Ahmed al-Awna was killed in a riot in the Jenin refugee camp on September 28, 2022 (Palinfo, @Palestinianfact Twitter account, October 21, 2022).

   
Right: Baraa al-Awna (Twitter account of Mahmoud Mazen, October 21, 2022). Left: Baraa al-Awna and his cousin, Ahmed al-Awna (Twitter account of Lama Yousef, October 21, 2022).

• In a riot in Jenin, Salah Abd al-Rahim Muhammad Abd al-Rahim “Briki”, 19 years old, was killed (Ma’an, October 21, 2022; al-Ayam, October 21, 2022). The PIJ issued a mourning notice for him, stating he was an operative in the Jenin Battalion and in the organization’s military wing (PIJ website, October 21, 2022).

    
Right: PIJ mourning notice for Salah al-Rahim Briki (the PIJ’s Daffa_media Telegram channel in the West Bank, October 21, 2022). Left: The funeral held for him, his body wrapped for burial in a PIJ flag (Wafa, October 21, 2022).

Palestinian killed in al-Nabi Saleh

•  On October 25, 2022, the IDF spokesman reported that during the night IDF fighters had identified a Palestinian throwing an IED at them, near Nabi Saleh, northwest of Ramallah. The fighters returned fire (IDF Twitter account, October 25, 2022). The ministry of health in Ramallah reported the death of Qusay al-Tamimi, 20 years old, killed in a clash with IDF forces at the entrance to the village (Wafa, October 25, 2022). The Fatah branch in the Ramallah-al-Bireh district issued a mourning notice for him. His organizational affiliation was not mentioned.

Shots fired at Palestinian vehicle attempting to enter Israeli territory

• Three Palestinians, who were not in possession of entrance permits, attempted to drive into Israeli territory near Qalqilya. An IDF force deployed to halt the vehicle, which kept driving. The force shot at the vehicle, which then hit an IDF fighter. One of the passengers was apparently injured. The IDF is investigating the event (IDF Twitter account, October 22, 2022). The ministry of health in Ramallah reported the death of Rabi Arfa Rabi, 32 years old, who was wounded by gunfire near Qalqilya (ministry of health in Ramallah Facebook page, October 22, 2022). Hamas issued a mourning notice for him claiming he as a movement activist (Hamas website, October 22, 2022).

Palestinian wounded in September dies

•   The ministry of health in Ramallah reported the death of Muhammad F Uday Nouri, 16 years old, from Bitunia, west of Ramallah, who was mortally wounded at the northern entrance of al-Bireh [the Gush Etzion Junction] in September 2022 (Wafa, October 16, 2022). Relatives reported that from the time he was a little boy he had been influenced by the stories of shaheeds and wanted to become one. His father has been detained a number of times by IDF forces (al-Araby al-Jadeed, October 20, 2022). Muhammad al-Madani, a member of Fatah’s Central Committee and a representative of the movement’s mobilization and organization bureau, paid a condolence call to Bitunia (Facebook page of Fatah’s media and culture bureau, October 22, 2022).

   
Right: Muhammad F Uday Nouri (Facebook page of Yousef Eid Afghani, October 20 2022). Left: Fatah flags carried at his funeral (Palestine Online, October 20, 2022).

Rocket and mortar shell fire into Israel

• Since the ceasefire of August 8, 2022, no rocket or mortar shell hits have been identified in Israeli territory.

Monthly Distribution of Rocket and Mortar Shell Fire since January 2020

Annual Distribution of Rocket Hits

Hamas representative released from prison in Saudi Arabia

• On October 19, 2022, Izzat al-Rishq, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, reported that the Saudi Arabian authorities had released Muhammad al-Khudari (Abu Hani), from prison. Al-Khudari was formerly the Hamas representative in Saudi Arabia, and left the country en route to Amman. Al-Rishq said, “We highly appreciate the decision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to release Dr Mohammed al-Khudari, the former representative of the movement to the Kingdom. We hope this step will help open a new page and lead to the release of the remaining detainees” (Middle East Eye website, October 19, 2022).
• In September 2019 Hamas announced that Saudi Arabia had arrested Muhammad al-Khudari, 84 years old, and his son, Hani, with 68 Palestinians, some of whom had Jordanian citizenship. In August 2021 Saudi Arabia sentenced al-Khudari to 15 years in prison, and his son, who is still in prison, to three years. They were found guilty of “having links to an unidentified terrorist organization” (Middle East Eye website, October 19, 2022). In December 2021 the Saudi Arabian court of appeals reduced his sentence to three years (al-Andalou News, October 19, 2022, CNN in Arabic, October 19, 2022).

   
Right: Muhammad al-Khudari arrives in Amman (Twitter account of Prisoners of Conscience, which reports on political arrests in Saudi Arabia, October 19, 2022). Right: al-Khudari in a hospital (Prisoners of Conscience Twitter account October 20, 2022).

Ziyad al-Nakhalah and Fathi Hammad meet in Beirut

• Fathi Hammad, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, and PIJ leader Ziyad al-Nakhalah, along with other senior terrorist organization figures, met in Beirut. The main topics of discussion were the situation in Judea and Samaria and the new “fighting” networks, especially the Lion’s Den. They praised the “fighters” and stressed that the battle for Jerusalem continued. They also said that at the current point in time, the preference was for “national liberation,” which committed the “resistance” forces [terrorist organizations] to unite and escalate the confrontation with Israel. They called on the PA to stop security coordination with Israel, stop the political detentions, release the prisoners and join the Palestinians in confronting Israel. They sent a special message to Fatah [terrorist] operatives, praising their important, historic role in “resistance and liberation” activities, and called on them to show more involvement in the program (Hamas website, October 20, 2022).

Al-Jazeera interview with Ziyad al-Nakhalah

• On October 23, 2022, PIJ leader Ziyad al-Nakhalah was interviewed by al-Jazeera TV, and related to the following topics, among others (al-Jazeera TV, October 23, 2022; PIJ website, October 24 2022):
  • Relations with Egypt: According to al-Nakhalah, Egypt regards the Gaza Strip as a territory under Israeli sovereignty, which is the reason that Egyptian delegations do not enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah Crossing, but rather through the Israeli crossing [the Erez Crossing]. Israel also controls the entrance of aid through Egypt and decides what will be delivered and what will not. Egypt intervenes in the Gaza Strip only at the request of Israel.
  • Relations with Iran: al-Nakhalah refused to describe the PIJ as an Iranian movement, claiming Iran was an ally of the PIJ and all Palestinians because it supported the Palestinian forces “resisting” Israel [the Palestinian terrorist organizations]. Regarding Iranian aid, he said Iran supported the families of the shaheeds and gave economic aid which barely met the organization’s needs. As for military aid, he confirmed that in recent years Iran had provided all the organizations with military aid, especially Hamas and the PIJ, but the aid was intermittent and Hamas received the lion’s share. Asked if the PIJ would react if Israel attacked Iran, he said it depended on the circumstances and he would prefer not to state a position on military affairs of such an order of magnitude.
  • Events in Judea and Samaria: al-Nakhalah criticized the PA, claiming current events proved the failure of the PLO’s plan to establish a Palestinian state, and the PA had become a security apparatus for the defense of Israel, for which it received payment from Europe and the United States.

The cyber unit of Hamas’ military-terrorist wing

• On October 13, 2022, the Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military-terrorist wing, held a ceremony honoring Juma’a al-Tahla, who was killed during Operation Guardian of the Walls. A video was shown about his life and activities in the Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades. The Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades also revealed the existence of a unit called the Cyber Force, whose establishment al-Tahla supported and whose activity had been kept secret for the past eight years.

   
Right: The Cyber Force logo (Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades website, October 13, 2022). Left: The logo of the al-Quds electronic army, from the video about Juma’a al-Tahla (Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades website, October 13, 2022).

• Zakaria Abu Muamar, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, said in a speech that Juma’a al-Tahla had laid the foundation for the production of UAVs which had turned into a weapon which today Israel had to take into consideration. He said he had personally supervised the production of “resistance” UAVs in Syria and had carried out the first test flights there. When he returned to the Gaza Strip he transmitted his knowledge, by virtue of which the first model of the Ababil had been produced. Abu Muamar said al-Tahla then went on to manufacture more sophisticated weapons and oversaw the establishment of the electronic warfare unit (the Cyber Force), which was established in October 2014, a few weeks after Operation Protective Edge. He claimed that on May 4, 2019, during a round of fighting with the IDF, al-Tahla had been in charge of a cyber attack on 30,000 targets in Israel, most of them security and military facilities. As part of Cyber Force activities he supervised the establishment of the al-Quds Electronic Army, which made it possible for Arab and Islamic minds to fight Israel. Muhammad al-Tawashi, a Cyber Force operative, was killed in Operation Guardian of the Walls (Shehab, October 13, 2022, Palestine Online, October 13, 2022).

   
Right: Zakaria Abu Muamar (Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades website, October 13, 2022). Left: Models of UAVs displayed at the ceremony. At the right is an al-Zawahiri UAV (Shehab, October 13, 2022).

   
Right: A Shehab UAV. Left: An Ababil UAV. According to the sign, it was used between 2014 and 2016 (Shehab, October 13, 2022).

• Juma’a Abdallah Muhammad al-Tahla was a Jordanian of Palestinian extraction. He was born in 1962 and raised on the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood, by, among others, Abdallah Azzam, who later became Osama bin Laden’s spiritual mentor in Afghanistan. He studied engineering in a university in Jordan. In 1982 he went to Lebanon and fought in the First Lebanon War. In 1983 he moved to Pakistan to join the Arab jihad fighters in the war in Afghanistan, led by Abdallah Azzam. After the Hamas terrorist wing had founded its military manufacturing branch in Syria, in 2007 he went there and became its head. In 2009 the Hamas leadership asked him to come to the Gaza Strip. En route to the Gaza Strip he was detained by Egyptian security forces and imprisoned until 2011. After his release he went to the Gaza Strip where he was placed in charge of cyber security and the development of the Hamas military wing’s scientific development (Shehab, May 17, 2021, aljazeera.net, May 24, 2021). He was killed on May 12, 2021, in an IDF attack on a target where senior Hamas figures had congregated.

Mahmoud Abbas meets with the Dutch prime minister

• Mahmoud Abbas met with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. They discussed the strengthening of bilateral relations and the relations between the PA and the EU. Mahmoud Abbas updated Rutte on the situation in Judea and Samaria and Israel’s “dangerous” activity (Wafa, October 24, 2022).

The PA prime minister continues blaming Israel for the PA’s economic circumstances

• On October 18, 2022, PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh attended the online United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). He exploited the opportunity to again blame Israel for the Palestinians’ financial losses because, he claimed, Israel controlled their national resources and exploited them for itself. He claimed that according to an UNCTAD report, between 2000 and 2022 the PA had lost $5 billion because of the settlements and the limitations placed on development in the Palestinian areas. He claimed that the end of the “occupation” and allowing the Palestinians to invest in Area C were the conditions for growth and development (Muhammad Shtayyeh’s Facebook page, October 18, 2022).

Gaza Marine gas field agreement signed

• Zafer Milhem, chairman of the PA energy and natural resources authority, revealed that on October 4, 2022, an agreement had been signed with Egypt for developing the Gaza Marine natural gas field. The agreement was signed by the Palestinian Investment Fund, the Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) and the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS). Milhem said Israel had no involvement in the agreement and its only role would be to provide permits for digging and work on the ground while the wells were being drilled and transport, which would begin after all the steps had been completed (al-Araby al-Jadeed, October 21, 2022). On another occasion he said the gas production would contribute to resolving the Gaza Strip’s electricity crisis. He said Israel had no demands and recognized that the gas was Palestinian and the Palestinians had the right to develop the gas field and profit from its income (website of al-Mamlaka TV, October 18, 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:^[3]
  • October 25, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus near Bayt Ummar (north of Hebron). No casualties were reported; the bus was damaged.
  • October 24, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus in the Funduq area near Qadumim (east of Qalqilya). No casualties were reported; the bus was damaged.
  • October 24, 2022: A Molotov cocktail was thrown at the gate of Kibbutz Migdal Oz (southwest of Bethlehem). No casualties or damage were reported.
  • October 24, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle at the Gush Etzion Junction (south of Bethlehem). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • October 24, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near the Peduel Junction (southwest of Ariel). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • October 24, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Luban al-Sharqia (northeast of Ramallah). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • October 23, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Qadumim (east of Qalqilya). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • October 23, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus near the Gitai Avishar Junction (north of Ariel). No casualties were reported; the bus was damaged.
  • October 22, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Karnei Shomron (east of Qalqilya) No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • October 21, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle in Hawwara (south of Nablus). No casualties were reported; the windshield of the vehicle was damaged.

• • October 20, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle between Givon Hahadasha and Givat Ze’ev. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • October 20, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus near Atarot Junction (Jerusalem). The bus driver was injured by flying glass. The bus was damaged.
  • October 20, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Karnei Shomron (east of Qalqilya). Two passengers were injured and the vehicle was damaged.
  • October 20, 2022: A Molotov cocktail was thrown at an IDF pose west of Halhul. No casualties or damage were reported.
  • October 20, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Sinjil (northeast of Ramallah). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged./
  • October 20, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle on the Gush Etzion-Hebron road near Bayt Ummar. No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • October 20, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle south of Ofra (northeast of Ramallah). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • October 19, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Bayt Einun (northeast of Hebron). No casualties were reported; the vehicle was damaged.
  • October 19, 2022: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli bus near Beit El (north of Ramallah). No casualties were reported; the bus was damaged.
  • October 19, 2022: Rocks and Molotov cocktails were thrown at an Israeli bus between Azzun and the Ma’aleh Shomron Junction (east of Qalqilya). No casualties were reported; the bus was damaged.