2 April 2002
Tulkarem's Terrorist Infrastructure - Background
(Communicated by the IDF Spokesman)
(Communicated by the IDF Spokesman)
Introduction
A vast terror infrastructure operates out of the Palestinian
Authority controlled city of Tulkarem. This infrastructure has been
responsible for a vast array of terror attacks, including suicide
bombings. Since the outbreak of the latest wave of ongoing
Palestinian violence in September 2000, this terror infrastructure
has grown to dramatic proportions. It would be more correct to say
that Tulkarem houses several infrastructures with many terrorist
cells. These have been successful in carrying out attacks both in the
Tulkarem area and against Israeli population centers.
In general, with the passage of time, the members of these terrorist
cells become all the more experienced in carrying out ever more
destructive attacks. This increasingly bolsters the threat Tulkarem
poses against the Israeli towns and villages in the area around the
city and beyond.
Fatah
The "El Aqsa Brigades," the military wing of the Fatah organization,
has carried out the majority of the attacks emanating from this area.
This infrastructure operates under the direct tutelage of Marwan
Bargouti, who heads the Fatah's Supreme Council in Judea and Samaria.
Bargouti was in direct command of Ra'ad Karami, commander of the "El
Aqsa Brigades," until his death (14 January 2002), as well as a
number of cells under his command.
The Fatah infrastructure carried out a number of varied attacks,
including shooting attacks in the Tulkarem area (eg. Bat Hefer,
Tulkarem DCO), on roads and IDF positions (totaling 12 killed). As
well, the Fatah cells have recently been carrying out high profile
attacks against Israeli civilian targets, such as the 29 October
planting of a bomb in the Ra'anana home of an Israeli military
officer and a 17 January 2002 suicide attack in Hadera.
Hamas
The Hamas organization in Tulkarem is responsible for three suicide
attacks on 4 March & 18 May 2001, as well as a 27 March 2002 attack
that killed 3 Israelis. The Hamas infrastructure is commanded by Omar
Sayd and includes a number of terrorist cells, including cooperation
with the Hamas infrastructure in Nablus. It should be noted that the
Hamas terrorists have not been arrested by the Palestinian Authority.
Islamic Jihad
The Islamic Jihad infrastructure in Tulkarem has carried out a number
of attacks against Israeli targets. The Tulkarem organization, the
second largest in all of Samaria, has recently sought to carry out a
wide array of suicide attacks.
Since the outbreak of the latest wave of ongoing Palestinian violence
against Israel in September 2000, virtually all preventative actions
taken by the Palestinian Authority in Tulkarem have stopped. The
Palestinian security forces in the city have deceased from making any
arrests and often times have tacitly allowed attacks to take place.
This policy has allowed the terrorist infrastructure in Tulkarem to
operate virtually unimpeded, continually honing its ability to strike
Israeli civilian targets. The Palestinian Authority Governor of
Tulkarem, Az Adin Jaradah, has been outspoken in his inflammatory
exhortations to the populace of the city, calling on them to continue
resorting to violence as a viable option.
Major Terrorist Attacks Originating in Tulkarem:
- 23 Jan 2001: Murder of 2 Israelis in Tulkarem caf.
- 4 March 2001: Suicide attack in Netanya kills 3.
- 18 May 2001: Hamas suicide bombing in Netanya kills 5
- 13 June 2001: Shooting attack on Moshav Nitzanei Oz wounds an
Israeli
civilian.
- 14 July 2001: Shooting attack kills an Israeli civilian in Baka
el-Sharkia.
- 16 July 2001: Shooting attack on civilian vehicle in Baka
el-Sharkia
wounds two civilians.
- 26 August 2001: Israeli vehicle fired upon near Kibbutz Magal,
killing an Israeli civilian.
- 29 August 2001: Shooting attack at an Israeli vehicle near Kochin,
killing an Israeli civilian.
- 30 August 2001: Hamas shooting attack against Border Police jeep
seriously wounds policewoman
- 9 September 2001: Car bomb explodes at Beit Lid, carried out by the
Islamic Jihad movement in Tulkarem.
- 5 October 2001: Civilian vehicle fired upon at Avnei Hefetz,
killing
the Israeli driver.
- 29 September 2001: Bomb planted under bed in IDF officer's home in
Ra'anana, bomb discovered and disarmed.
- 20 October 2001: Shooting attack on a patrol near Nur A-Shams
wounds
an IDF soldier. Palestinian Authority Actions in Tulkarem
- 17 January 2002: Suicide shooting attack in Hadera kills 6
- 27 March 2002: Passover Massacre
- 22 killed by suicide bomber in
Netanya hotel dining hall.