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Force 17 Background Material
(IDF Spokesman)
March 2001
Force 17 is the security apparatus entrusted in the protection of Yasser Arafat and preserves the stability and order within the Palestinian Authority. The organization is comprised of 3,500 operatives and is headed by Faisel Abu-Sharch, permanently positioned in Gaza. The organization is equipped with light weapons and BRDM-2 armored vehicles and conduct patrolling activities on the streets of Palestinian cities and along the line with Israel.
During the recent confrontations, a terror apparatus operated in the area of Ramallah which consisted of activists of Force 17. They, in conjunction with terrorists from opposition organizations to the Palestinian Authority, conducted more than 25 shooting attacks in the area of Jerusalem, Ramallah, Nablus and Jenin, resulting in the death of eight Israelis and wounding more than 22.
This apparatus' activity was directed by Mahmud Damarah "Abu-Us", commander of Force 17 in Ramallah. He supplied the members of the organization with armaments and set the policies for terrorist attacks. Recently members of this terrorist cell were involved in a string of several roadside bombs in the area of Ramallah and Jerusalem.
The cell was responsible for numerous terrorist attacks. The most prominent among these are:
A shooting attack in Jerusalem, in which a security guard was killed and another wounded (30 October).
A shooting attack near Neveh Tsuf, in which an Israeli woman and two soldiers were killed (13 November).
A shooting attack in which the Kahane couple were killed and five of their six children wounded (31 December).
In addition, a terrorist cell comprised of Force 17 members, and coordinated by Hizballah related elements in Lebanon, was responsible for the mortar bomb attacks on Netzarim during the month of February
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