(IDF Spokesman)
March 12, 2002
General Information
Ramallah is located on a major crossroads in the West Bank, with a
commanding view of its surroundings, ensuring a continuity of
population from the city of Jerusalem northwards.
The Ramallah area is composed of two main sectors: the lower city of
Ramallah and the city of el-Bira (a separate municipality) to the
east. South of the city is the el-'Amari refugee camp and to its
north is the town of Bir Zeit (known for its university, the largest
on the West Bank), and the Jalazoun refugee camp.
Ramallah is one of the two major Palestinian seats of power. The
central Palestinian governing institutions are located within
Ramallah, including: offices of the Legislative Council, the
executive branch and a large number of Palestinian West Bank security
forces' headquarters.
Arafat, until recently, had divided his time between Gaza and
Ramallah, due to the presence of central governing institutions
presence in both cities.
Ramallah is a relatively modern city with Jerusalem-style high-rise
buildings. In the past, Ramallah constituted a tourism and
entertainment center. The Ramallah district contains 220,000
residents. Of these some 57,000 are located in the cities of Ramallah
and el-Bira.
Ramallah Axis of Terrorism
Since the beginning of the current conflict, Ramallah has stood out
as a major center of terrorist activity against Israeli civilians and
security personnel. The terrorist infrastructure in the city, and at
times in the entire West Bank, are dependant on senior Fatah
leadership and senior commanders of the Palestinian security
apparatus.
Since the death of Raed Karmi on January 14, 2002, the city has
become the capital of Palestinian terrorism, from which many
terrorist attacks have emanated. Among those we may count the suicide
attack in Tel Aviv's Sea Food Market restaurant, the terrorist
infiltration of 'Ayn 'Arik, and the attack on civilians and IDF
soldiers at the British Police roadblock.
Palestinian Security Forces
Due to the fact that Ramallah constituted an administrative and
governmental center, the Palestinian Authority security forces
established their headquarters in the city. The National Security
headqarters is located in Ramallah's Mukt'ah as are the headquarters
of Force-17, Preventive Security and Civil Police.
The Palestinian security forces, and especially Force-17, have played
an active role in major terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians
and IDF troops perpetrated within in the Ramallah area, in Jerusalem
and elsewhere in Israel. The mutual relationship existing between the
Fatah in Ramallah and members of the security forces (often on a
personal basis, due to the fact many security force personnel were
originally from the Fatah) has blurred the distinction between the
Palestinian security forces and the Fatah. The former participate
actively in terror operations, either as individuals or on an
organizational level (e.g. Force-17).
Terrorist Organizations
The major terrorist organization operating out of Ramallah is the
Fatah, headed by Arafat. Marwan Barghouti, Secretary General of the
Fatah, who is also head of the Tanzim, serves directly under him.
Many senior Fatah leaders have established themselves in Ramallah.
Fatah is responsible for a long list of deadly terrorist attacks
(suicide operations, shooting attacks, kidnappings and bombings)
which took the lives of many dozens of Israelis. Following the death
of local Tanzim leader Raed Karmi on January 14, 2002, the Fatah
changed its modus operandi from shooting attacks on roads to suicide
bombings in Israeli cities, and terrorist attacks against IDF
checkpoints.
Other terrorist organizations operate from the city, among them the
Hamas which had carried out the major suicide bombings in Jerusalem
(e.g. the Sbarro pizzeria bombing, the Jerusalem pedestrian mall
double-suicide bombing and the recent Cafe Moment attack which
claimed the lives of 11 Israelis). Their operatives enjoy protection
of the security forces who do not stop the activities in the city.
Even though Ramallah is not the primary site of Hamas activity on the
West Bank, Ramallah does constitute a "relay station" for suicide
attacks in Jerusalem.
An additional terrorist organization that operates in and from the
city is the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. This
organization, even though it is relatively small, has chosen Ramallah
as the main focal point for its military and political operations.
The leadership of the terrorist organization within the territories
are situated in Ramallah. It has carried out a large number of
spectacular attacks which have claimed the lives of many victims.
Among these: the bombings in the Ariel hotel and the Karnei Shalom
mall, and the assassination of the late Minister of Tourism Rechavam
Ze'evy, whose murderers departed from and returned to Ramallah. The
organization now specializes in suicide bombings.
The remaining Palestinian terrorist organizations, such as the
Islamic Jihad, maintain "representatives" in Ramallah. They cooperate
together and with the official security forces of the Palestinian
Authority.
List of Major Terrorist Attacks Emanating from Ramallah
12 October 2000 - Lynching of two IDF reserve soldiers who entered
the city by mistake. The incident took place in the Ramallah Police
Station.
30 October 2000 - A shooting attack in which Eish-Kodesh Gilmor, a guard at the East
Jerusalem National Insurance branch was killed.
13 November 2000 - A shooting attack near Neveh Tzuf, in which Sarah Leisha and two Israeli soldiers were killed.
24 November 2000 - A shooting attack at the Tapuah Junction, in which
an Israeli civilian Ariel Jeraffi was killed.
21 December 2000 - A shooting attack on the Modi'in-Jerusalem highway
(Route 443), in which an Israeli civilian, Eliahu Cohen, was killed.
31 December 2000 - A shooting attack near Ofra, in which Binyamin Zeev Kahane and his wife Talia were killed.
18 January 2001 - Ofir Rahum, a high school student, was seduced by a
female terrorist who he met in an Internet chat room and was murdered
in Ramallah.
8 February 2001 - A car bomb was detonated in Jerusalem, wounding
five.
27 February 2001 - A shooting attack near Ofer Camp. Three civilians
were wounded, one severely.
21 March 2001 - A car bomb in Jerusalem's Mea Sharim district.
23 April 2001 - A car bomb was detonated in Or Yehuda.
1 May 2001 - A shooting attack at an Israeli car in Beth El in which an
civilian, Assaf Hershkowitz, was killed.
8 May 2001 - Initiation and direction of a shooting attack in
Itamar, in which an Israeli civilian, Arnaldo Agranionic, was killed.
27 May 2001 - A car bomb in Jerusalem's Russian Compound.
12 June 2001 - A shooting attack in Ma'aleh Adumim, in which a Greek
Orthodox monk was killed.
18 June 2001 - An explosive device (which did not explode) on a motor
scooter in Haifa.
2 July 2001 - Two car bombs exploded in Yahud.
24 July 2001 - An 18-year-old boy, Yuri Gushchin, was murdered. His
body was found in Ramallah.
9 August 2001 - The Sbarro pizzeria suicide bombing, in which 15
people were killed and 100 wounded.
4 September 2001 - Suicide attack on Jerusalem's Nevi'im Street, in
which 12 were wounded, three seriously.
17 October 2001 - Assassination of the former Israeli Minister of
Tourism, Rechavam Ze'evy.
11 December 2001 - Terrorist attack on the Jerusalem pedestrian mall,
which claimed the lives of 11 civilians.
22 January 2002 - Shooting attack on Jaffa Street in Jerusalem in
which Sarah Hamburger and Svetlana Sandler were killed and 33 injured.
27 January 2002 - Suicide attack on Jaffa Street in Jerusalem, by a
female terrorist, in which one person, Pinhas Tokatli, was killed and 101 wounded.
19 February 2002 - Shooting attack in 'Ayn 'Arik, in which six
Israelis were killed and one wounded.
22 February 2002 - Shooting attack on a car near Atarot, in which Valery Ahmir was killed.
25 February 2002 - A shooting attack in Neveh Ya'akov, in which Galit Arbiv was killed.
27 February 2002 - Gad Rejwan killed by a Palestinian worker in the Atarot
industrial zone.
27 February 2002 - A female suicide bomber blew herself up in the
Maccabim checkpoint, injuring two people.
3 March 2002 - Shooting attack at the British Police roadblock near Ofra, in
which 10 were killed in six injured.
5 March 2002 - A shooting and grenade attack in the Sea Food Market
restaurant in Tel Aviv, in which three people were killed.
9 March 2002 - Suicide bombing in Jerusalem's Cafe Moment, in which
11 people were killed and 50 wounded.