01-May-18: Again, Shalit Deal 'graduates' are behind a major but thwarted Arab-on-Israeli terror attack

How close, warm and mutually supportive are relations between Turkey
and the terrorists of Hamas. Anyone's guess, really. [Source]

For those who adopt the somewhat conventional - but woefully inaccurate - view that the "moderate" Abbas/Fatah/PA regime controls the Palestinian Territories apart from Hamas-dominated Gaza, today's news might cause some confusion.

Three Palestinian Arabs from East Jerusalem were formally charged by prosecutors this morning (Tuesday) in the Jerusalem District Court with acting on behalf of the Hamas terrorist movement in plotting a shooting attack against Israelis.

The indictment reported in Times of Israel this afternoon names Naseem Hamada (who described himself to his interrogators as the group's leader), Izz al-Din Atun and Obeida Amira. Reports say all three are known to Israeli security before today for their ties to terrorist activities.

All three of today's arrestees are from the Sur Baher neighborhood of Jerusalem. They are charged with contact with a foreign agent, membership in a terrorist organization and conspiring to carry out a terror attack. (There's a fourth suspect, identified in the news report as A. A.; prosecutors have not yet reached a decision as to whether to file charges against him.)

The arrests came after Israel Police and Shin Bet became aware of the plan to open fire on IDF service personnel at a bus stop outside Oranit, an Israeli community close to Rosh Ha'ayin. A town of about 9,000 residents, it straddles the 1948 ceasefire line - the so-called Kav Hayarok or Green Line. It's located about 30 kilometers (say, 20 miles) from Israel's business center, Tel Aviv.

It emerged from the interrogation, as well, that 

Atun and Amira traveled to Turkey last year to visit Hamas figures Mahmoud Atun and Musa Azari [sic], who were exiled under the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange, and received thousands of dollars to help fund the attack.

The name "Musa Azari" might be a mistake. We suspect it should have been Musa al-Akari about whom we posted this

In a conversation with Ynet, the terrorist's 16-year-old son, Hamza, said he looked up to his father's acts. "I'm proud of my father. I'm not sad that he died a martyr." The police agreed for the family to bury al-Akari at midnight in the presence of up to 35 people... The terrorist's brother is Musa al-Akari, a prisoner released in the Shalit deal and deported to Turkey. He was a member of the Hamas cell that murdered border police officer Nissim Toledano in 1992. Al-Akari, 38, a father of five from the Shuafat refugee camp, arrived at the Light Rail station in the afternoon and ran over anyone who crossed his path. He was shot to death by a border police team that was on site after he exited the vehicle and attempted to attack passersby. Hamas has taken responsibility for the attack. [Ynet. November 5, 2014]

The Atun brothers of Sur Baher have a long and deep history of terrorist activity. 

1. In addition to Izz al-Din Atun indicted today, there are 
2. Munir Marwat Atun and his brother the well-named Jihad Atun who were both arrested for being members of another terrorist/shooter cell seven years ago ["Shin Bet Nabbed Five Members of Hamas-linked Terror Cell in Jerusalem", Haaretz, April 8, 2011]. 
3. A fourth brother, Mahmoud Atun was serving a life sentence in 2011 for murdering three Israelis, including (as noted above) Border Police Sgt.-Maj. Nissim Toledano, 29, in December 1992. After being incomprehensibly freed by Israel in the catastrophic Shalit Deal of October 2011, he's now one of the Hamas king-pins who freely orchestrate murderous attacks on Israelis from their Turkish safe haven.

Click here for the February 12, 2018 Haaretz report

We have focused some attention on the lethal Turkey/Hamas axis over the past six years but it generally gets far too little reporting. Here's some background reading - a small selection from a long list:

• 1-Jan-12: Terror attack statistics climbed sharply in December - no wonder this man is smiling so broadly
• 27-Nov-14: Hamas terrorist ring is busted; Israel says the handlers operate from Turkey; Qatar is involved
• 29-Nov-14: Is Turkey providing cover for Hamas terror?
• 25-Feb-15: Talking Turkey on terror
• 11-Dec-15: The price of the Shalit Deal and the countries that help it keep rising
• 03-Aug-17: Two Shalit Deal beneficiaries are at the heart of a just-busted Hamas terror-financing operation

There's some background about that violent Jerusalem neighborhood of Sur Baher here: "1-Dec-13: Living with stone-age neighbors".

03-Apr-16: Rosh Ha'ayin: a stabbing attack and the terrorist is a woman

The scene of this afternoon's attack [Image Source]

There has been a terrorist stabbing attack in Rosh Ha'ayin today.

The reports that have gone to air until now here in Israel speak of a female attacker, armed with two knives, and a victim who is also a female. Israel National News says a security guard in the city's industrial region noticed what the stabber was doing, overpowered her without killing her, dislodged the knife from her hand without opening fire and brought the attack to an end. She was found to have a second knife in her bag.

Ynet says the victim is a woman of about thirty. At Haaretz, they say the victim has stab wounds to the arm, and after initial treatment at the site, was taken by ambulance to Beilinson Hospital, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva where she is in stable condition.

Few details at this stage about the attacker beyond her gender and the fact that she is now in the hands of the authorities.

UPDATE: Sunday at 2:20 pm: Israel Police's truly remarkable spokesperson Luba Samri (yes, an Arab-Israeli lady and an Arab name - see this New York Times profile) says the suspected attacker is a 23-year-old Israeli citizen, an Arab resident of the Arab community of Kafr Qassem in the Tel Aviv suburbs.

UPDATE: Sunday at 5:15 pm: Israel National News names the victim as Reut Weitzman, a 30-year-old mother of three from Kfar Saba: "I went out from an office building when I saw an Arab woman approaching me, and suddenly I felt a 'boom' in my arm... I realized that she had a thick box-cutter knife, I pushed her away with my bag and I threw it at her. She kept trying to stab me, I started to push her with my hands and legs and then I screamed and other people started to arrive... I was sure she would succeed in stabbing me, because I was shouting and we were alone on the street. It took the others a bit of time to arrive and she didn't stop trying to stab me, and I was just thinking how long I would be able to push her away."

25-Dec-12: Scenes from the front lines, courtesy of the Tayar Report

Rock-hurling, vehicle-seeking
Palestinian Arab 'activist' 'militants' [Image Source]

The chronology below is a continuation of the reports we have published in recent months based on information received via the Tayar Security Report, with some editing and annotating by us. Yehudit Tayar produces her invaluable bulletins on the basis of first-responder, police and army reports.

Monday December 17, 2012

• Gush Etzion-Hevron highway, near the Karmei Zur community: Several Israeli vehicles came under rock attack by Arabs; damage is caused to one of the cars

Tuesday December 18, 2012

• Multiple rock attacks by Palestinian Arabs against Israeli vehicles:

• Between El Arub and Beit Ummar
• Hevron at the IDF post near Bet Romano
• Samaria between Ma'aleh Shomron and Azun
• The Arab village of Luban A-Sharqiya
• Near the entrance to the Israeli village Kfar Tapuah
• The road between the Israeli communal villages of Hermesh and Mevo Dotan - damage is caused to multiple vehicles
• Hevron, near the Cave of the Patriarchs: A tourist bus is attacked by Arabs - rocks cause window damage
• Near Migdal Oz in Gush Etzion: Three fire-bombs (Molotov cocktails) are thrown from a passing Arab vehicle at an Israeli vehicle. The culprits are seen fleeing to the village of Bet Fa'jar

Wednesday December 19, 2012

• Gush Etzion-Hevron road near Beit Ummar: An Israeli bus comes under rock  attack by Arabs
• Samaria – west of Ma'aleh Shomron: Several Israeli vehicles come under rock attack by Arabs – several vehicles are damaged
• Route 443 – the Modi'in/Jerusalem highway near the IDF post at Maccabim:  Several Israeli vehicles come under rock attack by Arabs – several vehicles are damaged
• Jerusalem: In the vicinity of the Shu’afat “refugee” “camp”, three fire bombs (Molotov cocktails) are hurled by Palestinian Arabs

Thursday December 20, 2012

• Yehudit is authorized to disclose that units of the IDF and the security services arrested several Arabs during November, in the course of Operation Pillar of Defense. Those arrested include Bedouin Arabs from the Negev region, and Palestinian Arabs from the Hevron region. They are charged with being involved in a terrorist stabbing attack in Be'er Sheva on November 19, 2012.

Friday December 21, 2012

• At the Rama military base, adjacent to A-Ram in east Jerusalem: Two Palestinian Arabs attacked an IDF soldier at the checkpost of the base, using tear gas, stole his weapon and fled. The soldier was injured in the attack and received medical treatment from IDF ambulance staff.

Saturday December 22, 2012

• At the IDF checkpoint on the Gush Etzion-Hevron highway at Beit Ummar: Service personnel manning the post come under violent attack by rock-hurling Palestinian Arabs. An officer is struck in the head and suffers injuries requiring hospital treatment. Two of the Arab attackers are injured; one from gunfire to a leg. The Arabs are treated by Red Crescent ambulance crew.

Sunday December 23, 2012

• In the Binyamin region, on the Abud bi-pass road north-west of Ramallah: Three fire-bombs (Molotov cocktails) are thrown from a passing Arab vehicle at an Israeli vehicle.
• Near Ma'aleh Michmas: Arabs obstruct the highway with rocks and nails.  Two IDF vehicles are damaged.
• North-west of Ramallah near Luban A-Sharqiya  Several Israeli vehicles come under rock attack by Arabs – several vehicles are damaged
• Near Ofra in the Mateh Binyamin region: An Israeli bus come under rock attack by Palestinian Arabs

Monday December 24, 2012

• The IDF Spokesman says a Palestinian Arab armed with a 17 cm-long knife is stopped at the IDF post south-west of Bethlehem and taken into custody for interrogation
• On the Gush Etzion-Hevron road near El Arub, an Israeli bus comes under rock attack by Arabs, causing damage to the vehicle
• In the vicinity of Omer-Meitar in Israel's Southern District: Bedouin Arabs from the Abukaf tribe attack an Israeli bus filled with IDF service personnel; two soldiers are injured
• Gush Etzion-Hevron road near Beit Ummar:  Several massive and violent attacks by rock-throwing Arabs; a traveler suffers head injuries from flying glass. It is important to note the increasing levels of violence on the roads, directed at Israelis traveling in cars and buses
• Luban A-Sharqiya:  An Israeli bus comes under rock attack by Arabs; there is damage to the bus
• Southern Hevron Hills region near El Fu’ar: Rock-throwing Palestinian Arabs attack Israeli vehicles traveling on the roads 
• Adjacent to the Moshav Shekef community: A fire-bomb (Molotov cocktail) is hurled at the security fence

Tuesday December 25, 2012 (today)

• Yehudit is authorized to disclose that units of the IDF and the security services arrested terrorists today in the Ramallah region; they are alleged to have been planning the execution of multiple terror attacks including the attempted abduction of Israelis in order to secure the release of Ahmad Sa’adat, the head of the terrorist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), who is jailed in Israel.
• Near the Oranit checkpoint in the direction of Rosh HaAyin: Rock throwing attacks by Palestinian Arabs were directed against Israeli vehicles. There is property damage
• Near the T-Junction in Gush Etzion: Rock throwing attacks by Palestinian Arabs are directed against Israeli vehicles. There is property damage
• Vicinity of Turmos Aya, north-east of Ramallah, close to the community of Shilo: an Israeli bus comes under rock attack by Arabs

Postscript from Yehudit Tayar: "These reports are translated and publicized by Hatzalah Yehudah and Shomron with the clearance and confirmation of the IDF. Hatzalah Yehudah and Shomron is a voluntary emergency medical organization with over 500 volunteer doctors, paramedics, medics who are on call 24/7 and work along with the IDF, 669 IAF Airborn Rescue, the security officers and personal throughout Yesha and the Jordan Valley, and with MDA. We, the volunteers of Hatzalah Yehudah and Shomron go out to rescue anyone who needs our emergency medical assistance; including civilians, military and Arabs also those within the PA territories. (with IDF presence) To us a life is precious and we go out at risk leaving home and family or stopping on the road to rescue anyone in need."