Israeli Security Force Operation in Jenin and the Jenin Refugee Camp Review and Summary

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July 17, 2023

Shortly before 2 a.m. on July 5, 2023, the Israeli security force operation in Jenin and the Jenin refugee camp ended; it had lasted for 48 hours. It was broadest Israeli security force activity in the Jenin area since 2002^[1] and led to the destruction of about one thousand IEDs, the exposure and destruction of dozens of sites for the manufacture of weapons, underground shafts, and command and operation rooms. In addition, hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of shekels used to fund terrorist activities were seized. An IDF fighter was killed as the forces left the area.
The ministry of health in Ramallah reported 12 Palestinians had been killed and 140 wounded, 30 of them critically.
Three “revenge attacks” were carried out during the activity: a combined vehicular ramming and stabbing in Tel Aviv, a stabbing in Bnei Brak and a shooting at the settlement of Avnei Hefetz (southeast of Tulkarm). Five rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip at the Israeli communities near the border as the activity wound down. In response to the rocket attack, Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked two Hamas terrorist targets in Gaza.
Local residents were elated when the Israeli security forces left the Jenin region and despite the destruction, went out into the streets to celebrate their “victory.” Palestinian sources, mainly in Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), which tried to create a victory narrative, claimed the operation was a Palestinian achievement and victory over Israel because it reaffirmed the unity of the [terrorist] organizations and had sent that message to Israel. In the meantime, the Palestinian Authority (PA) and its security services were severely criticized for not having helped the residents of Jenin, anger expressed on the ground in the attack on the building of the Jenin district governor and the forcible removal of senior Fatah and PA figures from the funerals held for Palestinians who had been killed.

Israel Security Force House and Garden

IDF activity in Jenin and the Jenin refugee camp

Shortly before 2 a.m. on July 5, 2023, the last of the Israeli security forces left the area of Jenin and the Jenin refugee camp, ending Operation House and Garden. The activity began on July 3, 2023, and lasted 48 hours. An IDF fighter was killed as the forces left; the circumstances of his death are under investigation (IDF spokesman, December 5, 2023).

Palestinian picture of the IDF forces as they leave Jenin
(Twitter account of photojournalist Hassan Aslih, July 4, 2023).

The IDF spokesman reported that the main objectives of the activity were to end the status of the Jenin refugee camp as a refuge and safe harbor for terrorists and destroy the terrorist infrastructure, including its laboratories for the manufacture of weapons, the IEDs planted under the refugee camp roads^[2] and the camp’s network of cameras, which helped the terrorist operatives control events. Approximately one thousand IEDs were found and destroyed, dozens of sites for the manufacture of weapons were exposed and destroyed, along with underground shafts (two of which were located in the Ansar Mosque in the Jenin refugee camp), 14 safe houses used by Palestinians wanted for terrorist activities and a number of operations rooms. In addition, thousands of dollars’ worth of terrorism-funding shekels were confiscated (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 5, 2023).

Right: A shaft were IEDs were stored (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 4, 2023).
Left: A pit in the floor of a mosque where explosives and weapons were found (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 3, 2023).

Right: Money for financing terrorism. Left: Boxes of ammunition
(IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 4, 2023).

IEDs waiting to be detonated to attack Israeli security forces in the Jenin refugee camp
(IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 4, 2023).

During the operation 300 Palestinians suspected of terrorist activities were detained, 30 of them wanted by the Israeli security forces. Twelve Palestinians were killed, most of them terrorist operatives (see the Appendix). The IDF spokesman reported that many Palestinians were wounded because the terrorists hid within the civilian population, using civilians as human shields (IDF spokesman, July 5, 2023). The Palestinian media reported that thousands of local residents left the Jenin refugee camp.

Palestinian fatalities

The ministry of health in Ramallah reported 12 Palestinians killed and 140 wounded, three of them critically (Wafa, July 4, 2023). An examination of the names of the fatalities indicated that at least ten of them were terrorist operatives, most of them young. Four of them were PIJ operatives, two were from al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades (AAMB), two from Fatah and one from Hamas. The organizational affiliation of the remaining two is unknown, but one of them wrote on his Facebook page that he wanted to become a shaheed.
A mass funeral was held, also attended by armed operatives. The cortège began at the Abu Sina government hospital in Jenin, and according to reports, senior Fatah and PA figures including Fatah deputy chairman Mahmoud al-‘Aloul, and Azzam al-Hindi, a member of the PLO’s Executive Committee and Fatah’s Central Committee, were forcibly removed from the funeral procession by mourners to protest the fact that the PA security services did nothing to support local residents, did not stand with them during the operation and did nothing to counter the Israeli security forces (Shehab, July 5, 2023; Shehab Twitter account, July 5, 2023).
The removal of the senior figures from the funeral procession was preceded by clashes on the night of July 4, 2023 between Jenin refugee camp terrorist operatives and PA security services’ operatives, who spent the days of the activity inside the Muqata’a headquarters in Jenin. The operatives went to the headquarters and threw rocks and IEDs at the building. PA security services armored vehicles dispersed the operatives and shot teargas canisters at them (Shehab, July 5, 2023).

The mass funeral (Right: Jmedia terrorist, July 5, 2023. Left: Shehab, July 5, 2023).

Reactions on the ground in Jenin

During the operation three terrorist “revenge attacks” were carried out: a stabbing in Bnei Brak, a combined stabbing-vehicular ramming in Tel Aviv and shooting at the settlement of Avnei Hefetz near Tulkarm. Approximately one hour before the Israeli security forces left Jenin, five rockets were fired at Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip.
Stabbing-vehicular ramming attack in Tel Aviv: On the afternoon of July 4, 2023, a Palestinian drove against traffic in Tel Aviv and mounted the sidewalk near a bus station where several people were waiting and rammed into them. He exited the vehicle armed with a knife and started stabbing people. He was shot and killed by an armed civilian at the site. He wounded nine people, three of them critically. According to reports, he worked in Israel illegally and used his employer’s vehicle for the attack (Israeli media, July 4, 2023).
The terrorist was Abd al-Wahhab Issa Hussein Khalayleh, 20, from the village of Samu’, south of Hebron. Hamas published a notice claiming him as one of its operatives, stating the attack was a “legitimate case of self-defense [sic] in view of the Zionist slaughter in Jenin and the crimes of expulsion, killing and destruction carried out by the occupation forces” (Hamas website, July 4, 2023). A network calling itself the Samu’ Battalion, which claimed it did not belong to any Palestinian organization, stated Khalayleh was one of its operatives (Samu’ Battalion Telegram channel, July 4, 2023). His mother was interviewed and said her son did not belong to any organization, including Hamas (@AhmadHudaib13 terrorist, July 4, 2023).

Right: The scene of the terrorist attack in Tel Aviv (al-Fajr TV website, July 4, 2023).
Left: Abd al-Wahhab Khalayleh (Imad al-Aqili’s Facebook page, July 4, 2023.)

Stabbing attack in Bnei Brak: On the evening of July 3, 2023, a Palestinian teenager armed with a knife went to the Kiryat Herzog neighborhood of Bnei Brak. He approached a young Israel and stabbed and wounded him. The Israeli fought him off and was taken to a hospital for medical treatment. The stabber was a 14 year-old from Jenin (Israeli media, July 3, 2023).
Shots fired at the settlement of Avnei Hefetz: On the morning of July 3, 2023, shots were fired at Avnei Hefetz, southeast of Tulkarm. No casualties were reported; a bullet hole was found in the wall of one of the buildings. IDF forces initiated a search to locate the shooter (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 3, 2023).
Rockets fired from the Gaza Strip: Before dawn on July 5, 2023, about an hour after the Israeli security forces left Jenin, five rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip at the Israeli communities near the border and were intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defense system. No casualties were reported. Debris from a rocket hit a home in Sderot. In response to the rocket fire Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked an underground facility for the manufacture of weapons belonging to Hamas’ chemical department and a facility for manufacturing raw materials for rockets (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account and the Israeli media, July 5, 2023). According to the Palestinian media, a Hamas post in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, was attacked (Twitter account of photojournalist Hassan Aslih, July 4, 2023).

Israeli Air Force attacks in the Gaza Strip (Wafa, July 5, 2023).

Reactions after the activity ended

The exit of the IDF forces, which began on the evening of July 4, 2023, was documented by the Palestinian media outlets. Once the activity ended, despite extensive destruction, refugee camp refugees went out into the streets to celebrate (Ma’an, July 4 and 5, 2023). On the morning of July 5, 2023, after the “victory” celebrations, the Palestinian media began focusing on the damage and destruction, and pictures and videos were published showing residents visiting the ruins of their houses (Wafa and Ma’an, July 5, 2023). The Jenin municipality sent teams to remove the rubble and open roads which had been blocked during the activity (Ma’an, July 5, 2023).

Residents of the Jenin refugee camp celebrate the exit of the IDF forces
(“Palestine” Post Twitter account, July 5, 2023).

Pictures of the destruction in the Jenin refugee camp
(Right: Awda TV Facebook page, July 5, 2023. Left: Wafa Facebook page, July 5, 2023).

Bulldozers clear the rubble (Wafa, July 5, 2023).

Various Palestinian sources referred to the activity as an “achievement and victory” over Israel and “the victory of the resistance in Jenin.” Hamas and the PIJ claimed it reaffirmed the unity of the [Palestinian terrorist] organizations, their ability to coordinate and the “unity of the arenas:”
- Hamas claimed the Palestinians were united and adhered to the option of “resistance” and confrontation with the “fascist Zionist occupation.” The announcement stressed the unity of the fighters from all the “forces and organizations” against Israel and the increase in the coordination on the ground. Moreover, according to Hamas, the “resistance” would continue defending the Palestinians, their lands and holy places, and Jerusalem would continue as the first address for “resistance” activity, because for the sake of Jerusalem they were willing to sacrifice what was most important to them (Hamas website, July 5, 2023).
- Isma’il Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau, stressed the “failure” of Israel, which had retreated “defeated with its head lowered” after the operatives of the various “resistance” wings had worked together and all options to support Jenin had been on the table. He added that the “heroic action” in Tel Aviv and the events in Judea and Samaria showed the Palestinians supported Jenin in its heroic battle, and the “resistance” was clearly the address and strategic choice of the Palestinians [in their “struggle”] to respond to aggression and expel the “occupation” from Palestinian lands. According to Haniyeh, through the negotiators, they had sent Israel the message that all the fronts were monitoring the events and Israel had to stop its aggression immediately. He claimed that despite the killed and wounded, they had taught Israel a lesson and caused it heavy losses, and the coming days would reveal the strength of the blow dealt to Israel by the “resistance,” which would force it to consider its steps carefully before it acted against the Palestinians again (Hamas website, July 5, 2023).
- The Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military-terrorist wing, congratulated the residents of the Jenin refugee camp, the fighters of the various organization and battalions, on their “victory.” They claimed the coming days would prove the Israeli leadership had miscalculated. Jenin and the other cities in Judea and Samaria would become sites that would anger Israel, and the “death ambushes” in Jenin and the activity in Tel Aviv had proved it. Accounts had not yet been settled, claimed the Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades, and the Palestinians would make Israel regret its actions (Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades website, July 4, 2023).
- Ziyad al-Nakhalah, PIJ secretary general, said the Palestinians had chalked up a great victory thanks to the Jenin Battalion leadership and its brave fighters, it had defeated [Israel’s] aggression in Jenin. The Palestinians had proved, by virtue of their unity and cohesion, that they could defeat Israel in every confrontation and battle, from “the Sword of Jerusalem” [Operation Guardian of the Walls] to “the Unity of the Arenas” [Operation Breaking Dawn], “the Free Men’s Revenge” [Operation Shield and Arrow] to “the Great Power of Jenin” [the most recent operation in Jenin]. He called for national unity to reinforce the Jenin refugee camp to keep it a center for revolutionary inspiration, jihad and “resistance” [terrorism] (PIJ website, July 5, 2023).
- Muhammad al-Hindi, deputy PIJ secretary general, tweeted that if such were the results of an operation for which Israel “had been making preparations for a year,” then it was to be congratulated on its achievement, deterrence and delusions. He added that Jenin was in good shape, the “resistance” was in good shape, the Jerusalem Brigades were in good shape and morale could not be higher (Shehab, July 5, 2023).
- Abu Hamza, spokesman for the Jerusalem Brigades, the PIJ’s military-terrorist wing, said in a speech that Israel had been deterred in every sense of the word, which explained its claims about its great imaginary achievements. He said Israel had already been deterred when the battle stated and had been deterred during the fighting. He said he saluted the Palestinians in all the arenas, especially in Jenin. He thanked all the organizations and the “resistance axis” headed by Iran, claiming the “resistance” fighters had not been alone, but behind them in several arenas, in “Palestine” and beyond, were loyal fighters whose fingers were on the trigger, and who were prepared to meet and fight the enemy, and if not in this particular battle, then in the future (Jerusalem Brigades website, July 5, 2023).
- Fatah’s media information and cultural commission said in a statement that the battle waged by the Palestinians in the Jenin refugee camp was a qualitative change in the “struggle” against Israel and a “historic message” written by the Palestinians with sacrifice, firm stance and integrated forces. According to the statement, the Palestinians had dispelled the Israeli government’s claims which tried to market its aggression as a military victory, and had defeated Israel’s “barbaric aggression” despite the destructive force Israel used. The commission said it saluted the Fatah fighters and operatives who had bravely defended the Palestinians in the Jenin refugee camp with their blood brothers from the other organizations and forces. The commission also saluted the medical teams, media correspondents and operatives of the Palestinian security services, who did not hesitate to fulfill their duty to strengthen the Palestinians’ firm stance (Telegram channel of Awda TV of Fatah’s media information and cultural commission, July 5, 2023).
- Khaled Jumaa, culture editor for the PA’s Wafa News Agency, published a column entitled “When willpower overcomes the machine of destruction.” Israel, he wrote, always forgets that the issue of “resistance” to the occupation is unrelated to the possession of weapons, or connected to the ability to manufacture IEDs or rockets. Israel always thinks that a “brutal invasion” of places like Jenin, the Gaza Strip or Nablus and getting rid of a group of “resistance fighters” is enough to write finis. However, they will not overcome Palestinian will power for the simple reason that the struggle is not between a war machine and a person or a group of people, but between ideologies. The Jenin refugee camp is not the issue, erasing it will not solve the matter the way Israel would like, because the idea is alive in the hearts [of the Palestinians] and is passed down from one generation to the next, not because it is what the Palestinians teach their children [sic], but because what Israel does keeps the problem alive (Wafa, July 5, 2023).

Palestinians cartoons of the “victory” Right: Jenin (al-Quds al-Arabi, July 4, 2023).
Left: The entrance to the Jenin refugee camp (Muhammad Sabaaneh’s Facebook page, July 4, 2023).

Appendix

Palestinian fatalities

The ministry of health in Ramallah reported 12 Palestinians had been killed and 140 wounded, 30 of them critically (Wafa, July 4, 2023). An analysis of the names of the fatalities indicated that ten were terrorist organization operatives, five in their early 20’s, seven of them teenagers. Among them were four terrorists from the PIJ, three from the AAMB, two from Fatah and one from Hamas. Another belonged to both Fatah and the PIJ. Regarding two others, no organizational affiliation was noted, although according to the Facebook page of one, he wanted to become a shaheed.
The Palestinian fatalities, the circumstances of their deaths and their organization affiliations were the following:
- Samih Firas Abu al-Wafa: 20 years old, killed when a house was attacked in the Jenin refugee campaign (Wafa, July 3, 2023; Fatah’s media information and cultural commission Facebook page, July 3, 2023). He was an AAMB operative. Fatah reported he was one of its operatives the son of Firas Abu al-Wafa, Fatah spokesman in Jenin (Telegram channel of Awda TV, Fatah’s media information and cultural commission, July 3, 2023).

Samih Firas Abu al-Wafa (Right: Awda, the Telegram channel of Fatah’s media information and cultural commission, July 3, 2023). Left: Samih Firas Abu al-Wafa’s Facebook page, June 6, 2023).

- Aws Hani Hanoun: 19 years old. The PIJ in Judea and Samaria reported he was one of its operatives (PIJ website, July 3, 2023).

Aws Hani Hanoun (Paldf Twitter account, July 3, 2023).

- Husam Muhammad Abu Deibeh: 18 years old. Fatah reported he was one of its operatives (Telegram channel of Awda TV, Fatah’s media information and cultural commission, July 3, 2023). The PIJ in Judea and Samaria also reported he was one of its operatives (PIJ website, July 3, 2023). According to reports he worked in the government hospital in Jenin (Yazan Yasin’s Facebook page, July 3, 2023).

Husam Muhammad Abu Deibeh (Right: Twitter account of journalist Firas Taneineh, July 3, 2023). Left: At work in the hospital in Jenin (Yazan Yasin’s Facebook page, July 3, 2023).

- Nur al-Din Husam Marshoud: 16 years old. The PIJ in Judea and Samaria also reported he was one of its operatives (PIJ website, July 3, 2023).

Nur al-Din Husam Marshoud (Ali Muhammad Zurayiq’s Facebook page, July 3, 2023).

- Muhammad Muhannad Shami (or al-Shami) Turkman: 23 years old. Killed in an attack in the Jenin refugee camp; his uncle Muhammad Shami al-Shami was wounded in the same attack (Ibrahim Shami’s Facebook page, July 3, 2023). The AAMB in reported he was one of its operatives (AAMB Panthers’ Telegram channel, July 3, 2023). His current and old Facebook page profile pictures show his connection to the AAMB (Muhammad Shami’s Facebook page, June 8, 2016). Nephew of Usama Sabah, a Jerusalem Brigades operative killed in a clash with IDF forces in the village of Burqin on September 26, 2021 (@jalestinian2 Twitter account, July 3, 2023).

Right: Muhammad Muhannad Shami Turkman (Musa Turkman’s Facebook page, July 3, 2023).
Left: Muhammad Muhannad al-Shami Turkman with his cousin, Muhammad Shami al-Shami (Ibrahim Shami’s Facebook page, July 3, 2023).

Muhammad Shami Turkman’s current and old profile pictures show his ties to the AAMB (Right: Muhammad Shami Turkman’s Facebook page, June 8, 2016. Left: Muhammad Shami Turkman’s Facebook page, October 3, 2015).

- Ahmed Muhammad Amer (or al-Amer): 21 years old, represented as an AAMB operative (AAMB Panthers’ Telegram channel, July 3, 2023). He apparently belonged to the Jenin Battalion. Pictures on his Facebook page show him armed; in some he wears an AAMB headband. In others there are captions indicating he belonged to the Jerusalem Brigades’ Jenin Battalion. He also published a picture of himself with Yusuf Shreem, a Hamas Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades operative killed in Jenin on March 16, 2023.

Ahmed al-Amer wearing an AAMB headband (Ahmed al-Amer’s Facebook page, February 24, 2023).
Left: Ahmed al-Amer, with a Jerusalem Brigades –Jenin Battalion badge on the strap of one of his rifles (Ahmed al-Amer’s Facebook page, April 1, 2023).

Ahmed al-Amer with AAMB and Jenin Battalion armbands

Right: Ahmed al-Amer and Yusuf Shreem (Ahmed al-Amer’s Facebook page, March 16, 2023). Ahmed al-Amer’s most recent profile picture (Ahmed al-Amer’s Facebook page, June 6, 2023).

- Majdi Yunes Ararawi: 17 years old. The PIJ in Judea and Samaria reported him as one of its operatives (PIJ website, July 3, 2023).

Majdi Yunes Ararawi wearing a Jenin Battalion headband
(@jeniincamp Telegram channel, July 3, 2023).

- Ali Hani al-Ghoul: 17 years old. Hamas’ Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades in Judea and Samaria issued a mourning notice for him reporting him as one of its operatives, claiming he was killed while lying in ambush for the Israeli security forces who tried to enter the Jenin refugee camp (“West Bank Lion’s” Telegram channel, July 3, 2023). His body was wrapped for burial in a Hamas flag (“Palestine” Post Twitter account, July 5, 2023).

Ali Hani al-Ghoul (Right: Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades website, July 3, 2023. Left: Ahmed al-Ghoul’s Facebook page, July 3, 2023).

Ali Hani al-Ghoul’s body removed from the Abu Sina Hospital in Jenin, wrapped for burial in a Hamas flag (“Palestine” Post Twitter account, July 5, 2023).

Mustafa Imad Qassem: 16 years old. No known organizational affiliation, but his Facebook page subject picture is the shahada with the caption, “We will live and die by [the shahada]” (Mustafa Qassem’s Facebook page, November 25, 2022). The inscription at the top of his Facebook page reads, “Allah is our goal, the Prophet [Muhammad] is our role model, and the Qur’an is our constitution; Jenin [refugee] camp; Amjad al-Fayid (Pharoah).^[3]

Mustafa Qassem’s Facebook page

- Uday Ibrahim Khamayseh: 22 years old from the village of Yamoun. A funeral was held for him in Yamoun (SND website, July 4, 2023). His body was wrapped for burial in a Fatah flag with an M-16 placed on top.

The funeral held for Uday Khamayseh in Yamoun (@elthwrah Twitter account, July 4, 2023).

Abd al-Rahman Hassan Hardan Sa’abneh: 22 years old (according to Wafa), 17 years old according to other sources (Palestinian TV Facebook page, July 4, 2023). He was from the village of Fahma, southwest of Jenin (Wafa, July 4, 2023). The ministry of education in Ramallah issued a mourning notice stating he was an 11^th grade student at in the boys’ high school in Fahma (ministry of education in Ramallah Facebook page, July 4, 2023). The PIJ reported he was one of its operatives (PIJ Telegram channel, July 5, 2023).

Abd al-Rahman Sa’abneh (Abd al-Rahman Sa’abneh’s Facebook page, May 31, 2023).

- Jawed Mujahed Neirat: 22 years old from the village of Meithaloun, south of Jenin (Wafa, July 4, 2023). No known organizational affiliation. His body was wrapped for burial in a Palestinian flag.

Right: Jawed Mujahed Neirat (Jawed Mujahed Neirat’s Facebook page, March 7, 2023).
Left: The funeral held for Jawed Mujahed Neirat in Meithaloun. His body is wrapped for burial in a Palestinian flag (Meithaloun24 Group Facebook page, July 5, 2023).

^[1] Operation Defensive Shield in 2002, during the second intifada. ↑
^[2] Such as the IEDs detonated in the attack on IDF armored vehicles on June 19, 2023. ↑
^[3] Amjad al-Fayid, whose nickname was “guardian of the Jenin refugee camp,” was a 17 year-old PIJ operative killed on May 21, 2023, in a clash with Israeli security forces. ↑

Essential Facts About the Judicial Reform

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July 15, 2023

What Are the Details of the Judicial Reform Bill?

Reform on the Judges Selection Committee

The Current Selection Process:

A group of nine individuals constitutes the Judges’ Selection Committee. This includes the Chief Justice, two extra Supreme Court justices, the Justice Minister, a government representative, two Knesset members, and two members of the Bar Association. To appoint a new Supreme Court justice, a minimum of seven out of the nine members is necessary, providing the Supreme Court judges with the authority to veto. It is noteworthy to mention that since the establishment of the Committee in 1953, the three judges have consistently reached unanimous decisions regarding appointing justices to the Supreme Court.

The Proposed Changes:

The approved proposal, led by MK Simcha Rothman, Chairman of the Constitutional Committee, modifies President Herzog’s unsuccessful plan. The proposal expands the Judges’ Selection Committee to 11 members. This expanded Committee will consist of three ministers, three coalition Knesset members, two opposition Knesset members, and three Supreme Court justices. The framework for selecting magistrate and district judges will also change.

The new proposal aims to create a healthier balance, removing the Supreme Court judges’ veto power. During each Knesset term, a simple majority from the coalition will appoint the first two Supreme Court judges. The third judge will require the approval of one opposition representative, while the fourth judge onwards will require the approval of one committee judge, which means a broad consensus will be needed starting with the third appointment. This prevents the politicization of the Court.

The Committee’s composition will promote diversity among Supreme Court judges, reflecting various opinions and communities in Israel. The proposed framework protects legal diversity. Political impeachment of judges will not be allowed but would require the support of seven out of nine Committee members and approval from all three government branches.

The Committee will conduct public hearings for candidates, enhancing transparency about their legal and general worldviews. Additionally, the Chief Justice will be appointed by the Committee as opposed to the current seniority selection system.

Court Interference in Legislation and the Override Clause

The Current Reality:

The absence of checks and balances within the judicial branch in Israel has led to an imbalance of power. A significant transformation occurred in 1995 when the Supreme Court granted itself unprecedented authority. It took the power to determine which laws to strike down, who can petition the court, and to involve itself in various issues, effectively assuming the role of writing Israel’s constitution. As a result, democratic decisions are conditional, awaiting the court’s approval rather than being determined by public representatives.

The Supreme Court’s ability to strike down laws with a panel of just three judges, without requiring a supermajority, was not originally granted. The court gradually assumed this power during what is referred to as the Constitutional Revolution. An override clause already exists in the Freedom of Occupation: Basic Law, enabling the Knesset to override Supreme Court decisions with a majority of 61 members. It is important to note that there is no equivalent override clause in the Human Dignity and Liberty: Basic Law.

The Constitutional Revolution is founded on the premise that Israel’s constitution lies within the Basic Laws. Under this notion, when the Court invalidates laws, it does so on the grounds of their contradiction with the Basic Laws.

What is particularly concerning is that the Supreme Court has expanded its reach to interfere in the Basic Laws themselves, which are considered to be Israel’s constitution. This signifies a significant departure from the original intent.

The Proposed Reforms:

The process of striking down laws will require the full assembly of the Supreme Court, with 15 judges present to prevent any influence based on the panel’s composition. A supermajority of 12 out of the 15 judges will be necessary to invalidate laws.

Regarding the override clause, if the Supreme Court strikes down a law, the Knesset will have the opportunity to legislate it again within a limited timeframe, with a majority of 61 Knesset members. However, if the court unanimously invalidates a law, the Knesset will only be able to override it in the subsequent term rather than immediately.

In terms of the Basic Laws, the proposed reform suggests that the Supreme Court should not have the jurisdiction to rule on their validity. This adjustment brings Israel in line with other prominent democracies, as no other Western democracy permits its court to make determinations regarding the constitution itself.

The proposed amendments are intended to be moderate, aiming to define and regulate the powers of the Supreme Court while incorporating checks and balances into the current system. The objective is not to dismantle the system or entirely reverse the Constitutional Revolution but to establish a legal framework where the court is authorized to strike down laws.

Reasonableness Grounds

The Current Reality:

The “reasonableness ground” enables the Court to make decisions instead of elected officials, even without a legal basis. It allows the Supreme Court to overturn government decisions, regardless of their legality, simply because a judge disagrees with them. While the Court plays a vital role in rectifying illegal state actions, unauthorized activities, and discriminatory practices, it was never intended to replace the judgments of other government bodies. There is no inherent reason to assume that the Court’s judgment is superior.

The adoption of the reasonableness grounds has also granted legal advisors the power to interfere in the decisions made by elected officials.

The Proposal:

The reform aims to eliminate the reasonableness grounds, preventing judges from substituting their own discretion for that of legally appointed decision makers. It is crucial to emphasize that the Court will still fulfill its significant role in overseeing the government and conducting reviews based on established rules. These rules include examining lack of authority, ensuring due process, addressing illegitimate considerations, conflicts of interest, rights violations, discrimination, and adherence to clear legal standards.

Sourced from: “Details of the Reform.” הרפורמה המשפטית, https://legal-reform.org.il/en/details/. Accessed 13 July 2023.

Rabbi Leo Dee calls on Netanyahu to end financial support to PA

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July 15, 2023

Leo Dee, who lost his wife Lucy and his two daughters Maya and Rina in shooting attack in the Jordan Valley, addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this morning (Wednesday) and called on him to act to end economic support to the Palestinian Authority.

He criticized the Palestinian Authority which, according to him, glorifies terrorists who murdered Israelis in front of children, including in the summer camps where they glorify terrorists, who, among other things, murdered his wife and daughters.

Leo opposed the economic reality in which the Palestinian Authority continues to receive budgets while it finances terrorism.

At the end of his speech, he called to stop the next war by ending the funding to the PA and the existing incentives from the international governments, in memory of his wife and daughters.

D66 leader Sigrid Kaag to quit politics, citing impact on family

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July 14, 2023

July 13 2023

“D66 leader and finance minister Sigrid Kaag has decided to bow out of politics after the next general election, citing the negative impact of her job on her family.

Kaag, who joined D66 after a career with the UN, told Trouw in an interview on Wednesday that the many threats and online hate messages she receives have “taken a toll on the children”.

In particular, Kaag has been under attack from the far right, who have labelled her a “witch”, leading to demonstrators carrying torches turning up at her home and greeting her at meetings…”

https://www.dutchnews.nl/2023/07/d66-leader-sigrid-kaag-to-quit-politics-citing-impact-on-family/

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MIM:

NL Foreign Min. Sigrid Kaag is leaving politics due to ‘family concerns’ & ‘threats’ re the MSM who don’t mention this: NL FM accused of supporting Hamas Kaag wife of former sr. PA official Dr. Anis al Qaq has been funding Palestinian orgs & the PA.

https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/06/01/dutch-foreign-minister-accused-of-supporting-hamas/

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Dutch foreign minister accused of supporting Hamas

Sigrid Kaag’s ministries are refusing to account for funds transferred to Palestinian NGOs, including those operating out of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

6/1/2021

Less than a week after her appointment as Dutch foreign minister, Sigrid Kaag is under police investigation for financially supporting the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip.

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An official complaint against Kaag, who is known for her pro-Palestinian views, was filed by Dutch journalist Lukas Hartong, a former European Parliament lawmaker for the right-wing Party of Freedom under Geert Wilders.

Kaag, who is married to former senior Palestinian Authority official Dr. Anis al-Qaq, has served for the past three and a half years as the Netherland’s minister for foreign trade and development cooperation. Within the framework of that position, she has also been responsible for granting monetary aid to Palestinian organizations and the PA. Kaag still holds the foreign trade and development cooperation portfolio, in addition to now serving as her country’s foreign minister.

The Netherlands, via Kaag’s ministry, transferred aid money to a Palestinian NGO named the “Union of Agricultural Work Committee.” Several senior members of this NGO were involved in the murder of 17-year-old Rina Shnerb in August 2019. In the bombing attack, Shnerb’s father and brother were wounded. After evidence was provided of the NGO’s affiliations with the terrorist group the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Dutch government denied that it was transferring funds to the Union of Agricultural Work Committee. Ultimately, however, the Dutch government was forced to admit to funding the salaries of murderers.

With that, Kaag’s ministries still refuse to heed calls from Dutch lawmakers for transparent inspection of funds transferred to Palestinian NGOs, including those operating out of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

“Essentially, there is no information about where the money goes once it enters Gaza, where organizations tied to Hamas are more sophisticated in terms of concealing information and are less transparent toward Western money donors,” said Itai Reuveni of the Israeli watchdog group NGO Monitor.

Hartong based his complaint against the Dutch foreign minister on Article 421 of the Dutch Penal Code that “prohibits the intentional gathering, acquiring, holding or financing of objects that serve to give monetary support to terrorism,” and demanded that local police launch an investigation against her. According to Hartong, Dutch police have responded appropriately and were now awaiting Kaag’s response to the allegations.

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There’s much more:

Haaretz

https://www.haaretz.com › ty-article

‘Racist and Demagogic:’ New Dutch Minister in Charge of International Aid Blasted Netanyahu – Europe

Oct 22, 2017 — The wife of Anis al-Qaq, a deputy minister under Yasser Arafat in the 1990s and a Palestinian Authority ambassador to Switzerland, …

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Here’s her hubby’s bio on Passia the MB/Hamas org.

AL-QAQ, ANIS (1947-)

Born in Silwan, Jerusalem, on 1 June 1947; received a BSc in Dentistry from the University of Baghdad, Iraq in 1971; returned and opened a private clinic in Jerusalem; continued his education in Buckinghamshire, UK, from 1982-84, specializing in oral surgery; served as Chairman of the Dental Association in the West Bank from 1985-90 and as head of the Professionals’ Union from 1986-90; Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Palestinian National Theater in Jerusalem from the late 1980s; Executive Member, Council for Higher Education from 1989; Pres. of the Palestinian-Swedish Friendship Society since 1989; Sec.-Gen. of the Health Services Council from 1989; Board Member of the International Coordinating Committee on the Question of Palestine (ICCP); member of the Coordinating Committee for NGOs on the Question of Palestine in the Occupied Palestinian Territories; member of the Palestinian Medical School Committee; became Deputy Assistant to the PA Minister of Planning and International Cooperation in 1996, later Undersecretary; President of the Center for Health Services in Jerusalem; Member of the Editorial Board of the Palestine-Israel Journal; Palestinian representative to Switzerland since 2004.

http://passia.org/personalities/618

#####

(Note the reference to ‘Jerusalem 47)

Anis Al-Qaq

@Jerusalem47

Activist & Politician fighting for peace, justice and reconciliation in Near East International Forum for Peace

Jerusalem-New York Cityforumforpeace.comJoined February 2011

83 Following

193 Followers

https://twitter.com/jerusalem47?lang=en

Israeli, Jewish leaders condemn Sweden over approval of public Torah burning

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July 14, 2023

Swedish police have allowed the public burning of sacred Jewish and Christian texts at a small protest outside Israel’s embassy in Stockholm this Saturday afternoon, July 15th.

The possibility of such a deeply controversial event has shocked Israel and Jewish communities in Sweden and around the globe.

The move echoed painful chapters of Jewish history in Europe, where the burning of Jewish books often heralded times of extreme persecution, such as pogroms, expulsions, inquisitions, and the Holocaust.

Israeli leaders harshly condemned the intent to burn sacred texts and worked publicly and behind the scenes to prevent Saturday’s demonstration.

“I strongly condemn Swedish authorities’ decision to the burning of the Hebrew Bible in front of the Israeli embassy in its country,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

US and Israeli flags burn as people rally to denounce the burning of the Koran in Sweden and the Israeli military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin, in Sanaa, Yemen July 4, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/KHALED ABDULLAH)

“The State of Israel takes very seriously this shameful decision that harms the most sacred [scripture] of the Jewish people. The holy books of all religions must be respected,” he added.

Sweden has found itself at the intersection of freedom of speech and respect for religious beliefs, given that laws in the country allow for the burning of sacred texts and the authorities have little leeway to prevent such actions.

Last month an Iraqi immigrant to Sweden burned the Quran outside a Stockholm mosque, sparking outrage across the Muslim world, including from Turkey, which is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The Quran burning flared in the middle of Sweden’s accession to NATO.

Israel condemns Swedish burning of holy texts

Israel had already been vocal in condemning the burning of the Quran. Swedish police this month have received at least three applications for events that involve the burning of religious scriptures – including the Quran, the Torah, and the New Testament – one of which already took place this week in Helsingborg. No sacred texts, however, were torched at the event.

Saturday’s event in front of the Israeli embassy is expected to be held by a man in his 30s with one or two other people, who wants to burn a printed copy of the Hebrew Bible, the Torah.

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said that burning of the Torah, was “a hate crime, a provocation and a serious blow to the Jewish people and its traditions.”

“I call on the Swedish authorities to prevent this despicable event and not to allow the burning of a Torah,” Cohen said.

The Foreign Minister said he has spoken with Israel’s Ambassador to Sweden Ziv Nevo Kulman and the Foreign Ministry to do everything possible to prevent “this shameful incident.”

Kulman tweeted, “I utterly condemn the burning of holy books sacred to any religion, as an act of hate and disrespect, that has nothing to do with freedom of expression.”

Foreign Ministry political director Aliza Bin Noun met in Israel with Sweden’s Ambassador to Israel Erik Ullenhag to underscore the seriousness with which Israel views this issue.

President Isaac Herzog said he had condemned “the burning of the Quran, sacred to Muslims world over, and I am now heartbroken that the same fate awaits a Jewish Bible, the eternal book of the Jewish people.

“Permitting the defacement of sacred texts is not an exercise in freedom of expression, it is blatant incitement and an act of pure hate. The whole world must join together in clearly condemning this repulsive act.”

A woman holds a placard that reads ” Al-Quran is our honour” during a protest in front of the Swedish embassy after Rasmus Paludan, leader of Danish far-right political party Hard Line burned a copy of the Koran near the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia January 27, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain)

Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli stated, “such explicit acts of bigotry and hatred against the Jewish People is as much revolting as it is reprehensible and has no place amongst the liberal democracies of the world.”

“My Ministry is continuing to work closely with the local Jewish community and is in dialogue with local Swedish authorities regarding this reprehensible act.”

Chief Rabbi of Israel, Yitzhak Yosef, wrote to Prime Minister Olaf Kristerton of Sweden on Friday: “Desecration of Israel’s sanctuaries is antisemitism, not freedom of expression.”

In his letter, Yosef expressed his deep concern regarding the planned demonstration by Swedish citizens in front of the Israeli embassy in Stockholm, involving the burning of a Torah. He emphasized that the act of burning sacred texts was a grave offense and could not be justified under the guise of freedom of expression.

The Rabbi urged the Prime Minister to prevent such incidents, highlighting that the damage caused to Israel’s sanctuaries was an expression of antisemitism rather than freedom. He expressed his belief that people worldwide understood the seriousness of these acts and condemned them.

Europe’s Jewish communities condemn action

Upon hearing the news, the umbrella organization of Jewish communities in Sweden released a poignant statement on Friday expressing their profound consternation and sadness.

“As a people of the book, the Torah is our most sacred treasure of moral codes and ethics that have changed the world we live in,” the statement read.

The Jewish Central Council joined in, voicing their strong condemnation of this misuse of freedom of expression, framing it as a tool to sow seeds of hatred within society. In a remarkable gesture of solidarity, the Council also declared its support for the Muslim community in Sweden, following previous instances of Quran burnings that had caused outrage and distress.

The call from religious communities for an end to these acts of desecration stressed the need for unity, respect, and harmony in our diverse global society.

The European Jewish Congress (EJC) said they strongly condemned “the provocative burning of holy books and texts by extremists in the country.”

EJC president Dr. Ariel Muzicant said that “provocative, racist, antisemitic and sickening acts such as these have no place in any civilized society.

“Stamping on the deepest religious and cultural sensibilities of people is the clearest expression possible to send a message that minorities are unwelcome and un-respected,” Muzicant added. “These actions, based on contorted and specious free speech arguments, are a disgrace to Sweden and any democratic government worthy of the name should prevent it.”

“All religions and all peoples of good faith and basic decency should come together to condemn these horrific acts,” Muzicant concluded. “What starts with words and books, always ends with trampling upon the basic rights of people. So it was in the darkest days of Europe, so it is now. “

Among those who spoke out on the issue was Rabbi Moshe David HaCohen, who serves as the rabbi of the Judiska Församlingen in Malmö as well as co-directs Amanah: The Muslim and Jewish Trust and Faith Project with Imam Salahuddin Barakat. The project fosters bonding between the Jewish and Muslim communities in Malmö.

HaCohen told The Jerusalem Post on Friday that “this isn’t an anti-Jewish or antisemitic event, rather a long-lasting debate in Sweden about the extent of the Freedom of Expression.”

Yaakov Hagoel, chairman of the World Zionist Organization said the burning of religious texts was an expression of antisemitism, which should not be confused with freedom of speech.

Supporters of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a religious and political party, burn a Swedish flag during a protest to denounce the desecration of Koran outside a mosque in the Swedish capital Stockholm, in Karachi, Pakistan July 7, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/AKHTAR SOOMRO)

“Eighty years since the holocaust and the signs we wanted to forget to remind us again to stand guard. I strongly condemn the burning of the Quran and call on Sweden to cancel the antisemitic decision to burn a Bible book. Enough of the hate!”

The chairmen and founders of two of Europe’s leading Jewish and Christian Organisations – Rabbi Menachem Margolin of the European Jewish Association (EJA) and Tomas Sandell of the European Coalition for Israel (ECI) issued a joint statement also arguing that the burning of sacred texts was not an issue of free speech.

“Whilst we are deeply respectful of Constitutional rights and the EU’s own Charter of Fundamental Rights … it is clear that the act of burning a bible in front of the Israeli embassy is anything but peaceful.

“It is instead provocative, grossly inappropriate and designed solely to offend.

“The burning of the bible, or indeed any book, is reminiscent of the Nazi book burnings and the sinister warning contained in Ray Badbury’s Fahrenheit 451. Has Europe learned nothing?

“The timing – the Jewish Sabbath, where communities across Europe will read their portion of the Torah would add grievous insult to deep injury.

“We urge all Swedish authorities and political representatives to stop this act from taking place tomorrow,” the two religious leaders said.

Letter to sweden

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July 14, 2023

LTR TO SWEDEN

Today’s French Revolution

By

Michael Kuttner

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July 14, 2023

In July 1789, the Paris Bastille was stormed by rampaging mobs, and the established order of autocratic rule was swiftly swept away.

With the departure of the monarchy, a hopeful new era dawned, and French Jews looked forward to being fully emancipated and taking their rightful place as citizens with guaranteed civil rights.

Although the future looked promising, and liberty, equality and fraternity seemed like a messianic utopia, those who embraced this newfound freedom made a serious miscalculation. The entrenched prejudices of the aristocracy, the Roman Catholic Church and knee-jerk conservative reactionaries lurked just under the surface. This unholy trinity of Jew-haters, together with sections of the press, would, sooner rather than later, cause serious problems for the French Jewish Communities.

Those Jews who thought that by assimilating and even converting, they would be fully accepted as equal members of the Republic inevitably made the same mistake as their Spanish and Portuguese compatriots. Undeniably life was certainly more tolerable, but as the Dreyfus case and then later the Vichy experience was to prove, there was no escaping the malevolent intentions of those ill-disposed towards French citizens of the Mosaic persuasion.

Slowly but surely, French Jews integrated themselves into the everyday life of the Republic and took advantage of all the educational opportunities becoming available. As a result, they became loyal citizens and more or less a tolerated minority.

Fast forward to 2023, and the dramatic changes which have taken place should ring alarm bells.

The secularisation of French society has impacted not only followers of Judaism but also Christianity and Islam.

Bans on the public display of religious symbols and clothing in public schools, libraries & government buildings mean that Christians cannot openly display crosses, Jews cannot wear kippot, and Muslim women cannot wear hijabs. Imagine for one moment if these discriminatory laws had been enacted and enforced in Israel. The whole international community would be in an uproar, and Israel would be pilloried and condemned by all and sundry. The Vatican and the World Council of Churches would be writhing in holy indignation, and the French would be among the leaders of a moral crusade to excommunicate the Jewish State.

The deafening silence surrounding this French assault on religious freedom is just another example of the prevalent double standards and hypocrisy now part of the UN and its associated bodies.

Normally the reaction of the French Jewish Community would be the classic Diaspora one whereby muted comments might be made and alternative methods employed to comply with the law. That meant Jewish men wearing hats or baseball caps and making sure that their clothing did not clearly identify them as Jews.

However, with a massive influx of Muslims to France, the entire situation has dramatically changed.

With over five million Muslims and just half a million Jews, the demographics have dramatically altered, mirroring a similar pattern in most of Europe and Scandinavia.

Whereas Jews strove to be model patriotic French citizens, this is not the case for a significant number of immigrants now flooding into the country.

On the contrary, young, unemployed young men bereft in many cases of a meaningful education now roam the suburbs of major cities where crime is rampant.

Tragically, it is not just these misfits who are causing mayhem in parts of cities where police now fear to patrol and enforce law and order. The rot has also infected schools where teaching about the Shoah is a banned subject. Teachers have been assaulted and even murdered because of their perceived negative attitudes towards Islam.

Herein lies the root of the catastrophe, which is slowly but surely unfolding in France today.

The radicalisation of young Muslims by those already brainwashed and the inability of moderates within the community to counter such activities is leading to the mayhem we are witnessing. Instead of being educated towards tolerance, the opposite is inculcated.

The tragedy is that the French authorities have not learnt and, moreover, do not want to learn from the experiences of others in a similar situation. Political correctness and a fear of upsetting woke progressives is only resulting in further major upheavals.

The recent riots, arson and destruction of property are merely a foretaste of what is yet to come. There can be no compromise when the ultimate aim is the destruction of Western liberal values and the supremacy of a triumphant Islamic caliphate.

Unsurprisingly one of the collateral targets and victims of this incubating Islamic revolution in France are the Jews.

Seen as part of the successful educated sector of society, plus being perceived as supporters of the “evil Zionist enterprise,” French Jews and their buildings are easy and natural targets. Physical violence against Jews and vandalism against their properties is on the rise and will get worse.

Interfaith outreach and futile attempts at dialogue are now too little and too late.

The French Government’s constant dismissive and condemnatory denunciations of Israel’s campaign to root out Islamic radicalisation, means that no serious solution will be achieved in France.

With a falling birth rate among the secular and Christian French population and a soaring birth rate among the Islamic population, the demographic future is clear.

All that remains uncertain is how long it will take before France becomes a de facto Islamic Republic. It will definitely occur after Belgium, Sweden and the Netherlands transition, but on current trends, there can be no doubt as to its inevitability.

Where France goes, so will one day the United Kingdom and other former bastions of Christian Europe follow.

Where does all this leave the Jews?

Despite the usual myopia and expressions of false optimism, it will leave them stranded in increasingly intolerant societies. The inevitable rise of radical right-wing political parties with dubious past histories of fascist and Nazi-like sympathies may temporarily delay the outcome but will not, in the end, provide a solution.

Trying to preserve viable Jewish communities in places where it becomes increasingly hostile is no longer a winning strategy.

The best answer is to make aliyah. Critics will say that here in Israel, we face much the same problems. The difference, of course, is that Israeli Jews can deal with it and not have to throw themselves on the mercy of indifferent strangers.

As far as France is concerned, it would seem that in order to break the endless cycle of violence, there is an urgent need to create two states for two people and divide Paris.

In other words do exactly what they preach to Israel every day.

VIVE LA REPUBLIQUE ISLAMIQUE DE FRANCE

Phantom Nation – Inventing the “Palestinians” as the obstacle to peace

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July 12, 2023

On March 9, 2014, Sha’i ben-Tekoa, DeProgram Program, gave a terrific and important presentation to Children of Holocaust Survivors on his book on the invention of a Palestinian people. There is hardly a person born after 1980 (or earlier) who has any reason to believe that a Palestinian people did not exist in a country called Palestine. That is our fault for enforcing this narrative propaganda that has been the focus of the international community and the cause of the problems and danger faced by Israel. The narrative must be changed and Sha’i ben-Tekoa gives us the tools to do this. All we have to do is – DO IT!
Hired for a special project by the Office of Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, Sha’i ben-Tekoa discovered the first United Nations document using the term “Palestinians” as it is used today.

And the date was eye-opening: three years after 1967’s Six-Day War. In his research into the entire UN archive dealing with the Arab war against Israel, he came across no reference to the putatively Paleolithic Palestinian people before 1970.

After completing his assignment for the Government of Israel, Mr. Ben-Tekoa dug deeper into the origins of this heretofore unheard of nationality. The Land of Israel is arguably the most written about real estate in the world over thousands of years in the scores of languages of Crusaders, conquerors, pilgrims and tourists, not one of whom ever wrote or said a word about meeting any “Palestinians” in their time in the Holy Land.

And now Ben-Tekoa has written a book about what he discovered and uncovered: the invention of a phantom nation, the “Palestinian Narrative,” one of the great feats of psychological warfare in the history of Mankind. He shows how it is this generation’s successor ideology to Medieval Christianity, Islam, Nazism and Communism as the current fashion in Jew-hatred a.k.a. an anti-Semitism as old as the hills. To purchase the book now, click on this link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0991…

Sha’i ben-Tekoa was born, raised and educated in the United States. He received a B.A. in Comparative Religion from Columbia University and did graduate work in same at the University of Chicago Divinity School. A traveler in Arab lands, he served in the Yom Kippur War effort of 1973. His articles on the Arab-Israeli conflict, terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, National Review, Midstream, Congress Monthly and other publications. He appeared on American Public Broadcasting’s The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour. In preparation for 1991’s historic Arab-Israeli peace conference in Madrid, he worked on assignment for the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel Yitzhak Shamir. Formerly the lead English language commentator for IsraelNationalNews.com, his Internet radio commentary and music program can be heard at www.deprogramprogram.com.

Jenin shows economic wellbeing does not eradicate terror

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July 12, 2023

Rising living standards reduce the number of Palestinians joining terror organizations but acts of terror persist.

The start of the operation in Jenin this morning by the Israel Defense Forces represents the culmination of a process taking place over the past few years in which the Palestinian Authority has been weakening in the area and the struggle over control of the West Bank after Abu Mazen has been strengthening. Hamad and Islamic Jihad have been taking advantage of the situation in the area, which is mainly agricultural, to inject millions of shekels since the start of the year to encourage terror activities.

As a rule, it is difficult to necessarily link a negative or positive economic situation with increasing or decreasing terrorist activity, all the more considering that the Palestinian Authority launched the second Intifada when its economic situation was at its peak. However, a look at Jenin shows that since the Jalama checkpoint was opened to Israeli Arabs, and the economy in Jenin flourished – terrorism in Jenin has decreased.

The Jenin refugee camp officially has about 22,000 refugees. According to UNRWA data, the organization provides basic education to 1,750 students in four local elementary schools. The Jenin refugee camp is a small part of the total 37.3 square kilometers of the Jenin region, where 49,000 residents live.

UNRWA’s activities does not stop 25% of Jenin’s population from identifying with Islamic Jihad, which operates as a pro-Iranian militia. Hundreds of Islamic Jihad activists currently operate in Jenin’s refugee camp. The leadership of the Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip and Syria invests a lot of effort in providing ammunition, money and military training to terrorist operatives in Jenin in general and the refugee camp in particular, in order to act against IDF forces in the region and even to carry out attacks in Israel.

At the same time, about 20% of the population in Jenin is identified with Hamas, which works through dozens of its operatives in the region to strengthen the terrorist organization’s infrastructure in the West Bank city, and regularly praises the threats made by Jenin’s residents, and incites for the continuation of terrorism from the area towards Israel.

Since the start of 2023, with sponsorship from Islamic Jihad and Hamas, there have been over 50 shooting attacks by terrorists coming from the Jenin area. In addition, 19 terrorists have fled to the Jenin refugee camp after carrying out attacks since September 2022.

Surgical operation

The aim of the IDF in the current operation is to be as ‘surgical’ as possible, and focus on the Jenin refugee camp, and as far as is possible, not affect elsewhere in Judea and Samaria, or the Gaza Strip. What indicates this is the number of Palestinian laborers who continue to find their livelihood in Israel, including 3,000 workers from the Gaza Strip and about 63,000 workers who entered Israel today from Judea and Samaria, as well as about 15,000 Palestinian laborers working locally in Jewish settlements.

According to the World Bank, in 2022 approximately 22.5% of working Palestinians living in Judea and Samaria were employed in Israel, as well as only 0.8% of working residents of the Gaza Strip.

The importance of the Palestinian workers who enter Israel is great, because their daily wages in Israel are more than double what they can earn in the Palestinian territories. In 2023, the Palestinian economy has been struggling, after slowing down from 7% growth in 2021 to 3.9% last year. According to the World Bank, Palestinian growth will be around 3% in the coming years.

Fertile ground for terrorist organizations

The region around the Jenin refugee camp is more agricultural, and a more religious area, which traditionally produces more terrorism, and makes it difficult to grant work permits to local residents. Global warming is showing its signs there as everywhere in the world, damaging the crops, with people turning from poor to destitute, creating fertile ground for terrorist organizations to take in young religious people, who do not remember the IDF’s Defensive Shield operation in 2002, and mobilize them for their benefit.

As far as Iran is concerned, this is the easiest solution for adding Judea and Samaria in general and Jenin in particular to its spheres of influence in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Syria.

In Tehran, they are probably aware of the latest data from Ramallah that unemployment in the Palestinian territories was 24.4% in 2022: 45.3% in the Gaza Strip and 13.1% in Judea and Samaria. Last May, the World Bank warned that the growing tensions in Judea and Samaria and Gaza, alongside the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, pose significant risks – which are indeed being realized following the growing tensions in Jenin.

Vacuum of authority

Tel Aviv University Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) managing director Maj. Gen. (res.) Tamir Hayman and former IDF intelligence chief told “Globes, “The Palestinian Authority has disappeared in Jenin in terms of being in control but not in economic and civil terms.

“Only recently it was reported that a new Palestinian Authority clinic opened in Jenin. There are also work permits for the residents of Jenin. The narrative that talks about the loss of the Palestinian Authority in the northern West Bank concerns security matters and the challenges facing the Palestinian Authority’s security forces against Islamic Jihad and Hamas.”

The connection between economic wellbeing and terrorism is groundless. “Although it seems intuitively to us that welfare leads to a reduction in terrorism, it reduces the scope of those who join terrorism, not the intensity of terrorism and its participants. There is no room for a correlation. Jenin is an area that relies on agriculture and work in Israel, so it is a little more independent from the relationship with the Palestinian Authority”.

“Linking only the economic situation to what is happening in Jenin is ignoring two significant factors,” Brig. Gen. (res.) Nitzan Nurial, former head of the counter-terrorism bureau at the Prime Minister’s Office tells “Globes.” Firstly, there is the succession struggle in Judea and Samaria for the day after Abu Mazen. The succession struggle is making all parties improve their positions, and improving positions necessarily means buying more weapons, recruiting operatives and carrying out terrorist acts, including among themselves.

“Secondly, the new generation, the generation after Operation Defensive Shield is a generation of more or less 20-year-olds who are undergoing significant incitement, social networks that stir them up and a feeling that there is no way out, the lack of a real address.”

Nuriel says, “The Palestinian Authority is not really present in the Jenin area. This crucible is causing young people to do what their parents did 20 years ago. There is a governing vacuum of the Palestinian Authority in the area, especially over the last two years. The Jenin area has always been very violent, number one in producing terrorists and suicide bombers. It is an area that is mainly rural, and such areas are more radical. The same is true in the south in the Hebron hills. So conducts in the area is not surprising. The combination of all these things means that over the past 18 months the area has been very turbulent.”

Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on July 3, 2023.

The New Normal: criminalizing socio-political criticism as “right-wing supremacy”

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July 12, 2023

Last month the American writer C.J. Hopkins, who lives in Germany, was placed under investigation by the Public Prosecutor there for tweeting the cover of his new book: The Rise of the New Normal Reich that shows a face mask with the outline of a swastika over it. Using the image of the swastika is rightly forbidden in Germany as hate speech. It is, of course, the symbol subverted by the Nazis that today stands for everything hateful and cruel. Hopkins’ book criticizes the German Government’s authoritarian response to the Corona Virus, likening its oppressive actions to fascist governance.

The cover’s design would not be my choice as I reject the use of Nazi- or Holocaust evocation for any purpose other than the factual context. But make no mistake, Hopkins is not being put on notice because of a swastika on his book. There are tons of books in Germany bearing a swastika. Hopkins criticized the New Normal, which – as here in the USA, as well as many other former democracies – is evolving into a totalitarian entity that controls public information, suppresses free speech when not conforming to the official ideological narrative, and demonizes dissenting voices as “ neo Nazis,” “white- supremacist extremists” and “racists.”

A writer in both English and my native German, I recently published my new novel in Germany as I primarily wanted to address German readers. Thus experiencing a similar response as Hopkins.

SCHANDE (“DISGRACE”) 2021 Edition Buchhaus Loschwitz, chronicles the life of a Jewish woman born in post World War II Germany to Holocaust survivor parents. Starting with Helena’s childhood in the 1950’s, the story unflinchingly exposes the impact of Germany’s socio-political atmosphere throughout her life.

Several prominent German publishers were interested in SCHANDE but wanted omissions of precisely those parts that were of importance to me, such as the antisemitism that continued seamlessly after 1945, first under cover, then increasingly more open, the public smoke-screening that some fig-leaf Jews participated in, the effects of importing millions of unvetted migrants from cultures known to promulgate their own brand of Jew hatred among others.

While I knew the German taboo topics, I was nevertheless shocked at the brazen censorship I was expected to accept in literary publishing houses that pride themselves as liberal proponents of freedom of expression. Eventually I chose a conservative publisher who promised and held to it, that there would be no changes or omissions.

The publication coincided with the acclaimed Frankfurt Bookfair that year, which ran under the banner: Gegen Rechts (“Against the Right.”)

Perfect timing, I thought. Wrongly. As it turned out. The topic of my book wasn’t in sync with the prevailing leftist narrative. My publisher was instructed by representatives of the host, the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (“German Publishers and Booksellers Association,” part of the Governments’ cultural arm), to remove all posters announcing the publication of my book. Note: its cover depicts a snowy landscape.

When asked why, we were told they were “ following orders” and we could file a complaint. “Following orders” was obviously still a popular excuse here, 70 years after the Nuremberg Trials. No surprise to me. Read my book. But these were today’s Leftists talking, not Nazis. That was a surprise.

I proceeded to be publicly shamed by being snubbed at the Blaue Sofa (Blue Sofa), the hoity toity gathering spot where new publications are introduced and interviews held with people from the industry. A venture supported by the Bertelsmann Media Conglomerate and, according to inside information, owner of a group that belongs to the fact checkers at Facebook, LinkedIn and perhaps other High Tech platforms, from which I have repeatedly been banned for – as they state, without explaining –“ violating (their) community standards.” It is actually always for my calling to documented facts in response to misinformative babble.

But back to the Frankfurt Bookfair 2021 and the aftermath: mainstream journalists, some of which I knew, stated they couldn’t review my book. Most wouldn’t elaborate. Some, knowing me (or my book?) too well to smear me with the prevailing “rightwing” pretext, used it instead against my publisher. I lost the interest of a family friend and well-known actress who had wanted to speak the audio version of the book and then declined due to fear of damage to her career. McCarthyism came to mind.

The same fear is prevalent here in the USA once again. People afraid to speak freely. Mere thinking outside the constructed narrative, pounded in to us through the media and high tech, is prohibited today. The New Normal cult-like ideology that invaded our universities, schools, sports, commerce and everyday life calls it “conspiracy theory,” “racism” and other choice defamations.

The powers that be are as vehemently suppressing SCHANDE in lockstep with its cohorts as our elitists in the USA are forcing compliance with false and harmful polarizing constructs.

That this is happening in post World War II to free and enlightened societies across the globe in unison should be alarming to everybody. Mostly, it should pose the questions, where this movement originated and exactly whom such orchestrated destruction of individualism, public well-being and dumbing down of inquisitive minds would benefit.

A ray of hope beckons in the epilog to the SCHANDE story. Despite the onslaught, the book is receiving public attention, albeit through the conservative media. It is being translated into other languages. An American edition is not yet planned but may happen by our sorry society of followers who were once leaders, when it wins enough acclaim where truth counts, free speech is respected and lies are seen for the deceptions they are.

Israel Security Force House and Garden

IDF activity in Jenin and the Jenin refugee camp

Palestinian picture of the IDF forces as they leave Jenin (Twitter account of photojournalist Hassan Aslih, July 4, 2023).

Right: A shaft were IEDs were stored (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 4, 2023). Left: A pit in the floor of a mosque where explosives and weapons were found (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 3, 2023).

Right: Money for financing terrorism. Left: Boxes of ammunition (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 4, 2023).

IEDs waiting to be detonated to attack Israeli security forces in the Jenin refugee camp (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 4, 2023).

Palestinian fatalities

The mass funeral (Right: Jmedia terrorist, July 5, 2023. Left: Shehab, July 5, 2023).

Reactions on the ground in Jenin

Right: The scene of the terrorist attack in Tel Aviv (al-Fajr TV website, July 4, 2023). Left: Abd al-Wahhab Khalayleh (Imad al-Aqili’s Facebook page, July 4, 2023.)

Israeli Air Force attacks in the Gaza Strip (Wafa, July 5, 2023).

Reactions after the activity ended

Residents of the Jenin refugee camp celebrate the exit of the IDF forces (“Palestine” Post Twitter account, July 5, 2023).

Pictures of the destruction in the Jenin refugee camp (Right: Awda TV Facebook page, July 5, 2023. Left: Wafa Facebook page, July 5, 2023).

Bulldozers clear the rubble (Wafa, July 5, 2023).

Palestinians cartoons of the “victory” Right: Jenin (al-Quds al-Arabi, July 4, 2023). Left: The entrance to the Jenin refugee camp (Muhammad Sabaaneh’s Facebook page, July 4, 2023).

Appendix

Palestinian fatalities

Samih Firas Abu al-Wafa (Right: Awda, the Telegram channel of Fatah’s media information and cultural commission, July 3, 2023). Left: Samih Firas Abu al-Wafa’s Facebook page, June 6, 2023).

Aws Hani Hanoun (Paldf Twitter account, July 3, 2023).

Husam Muhammad Abu Deibeh (Right: Twitter account of journalist Firas Taneineh, July 3, 2023). Left: At work in the hospital in Jenin (Yazan Yasin’s Facebook page, July 3, 2023).

Nur al-Din Husam Marshoud (Ali Muhammad Zurayiq’s Facebook page, July 3, 2023).

Right: Muhammad Muhannad Shami Turkman (Musa Turkman’s Facebook page, July 3, 2023). Left: Muhammad Muhannad al-Shami Turkman with his cousin, Muhammad Shami al-Shami (Ibrahim Shami’s Facebook page, July 3, 2023).

Muhammad Shami Turkman’s current and old profile pictures show his ties to the AAMB (Right: Muhammad Shami Turkman’s Facebook page, June 8, 2016. Left: Muhammad Shami Turkman’s Facebook page, October 3, 2015).

Ahmed al-Amer wearing an AAMB headband (Ahmed al-Amer’s Facebook page, February 24, 2023). Left: Ahmed al-Amer, with a Jerusalem Brigades –Jenin Battalion badge on the strap of one of his rifles (Ahmed al-Amer’s Facebook page, April 1, 2023).

Ahmed al-Amer with AAMB and Jenin Battalion armbands

Right: Ahmed al-Amer and Yusuf Shreem (Ahmed al-Amer’s Facebook page, March 16, 2023). Ahmed al-Amer’s most recent profile picture (Ahmed al-Amer’s Facebook page, June 6, 2023).

Majdi Yunes Ararawi wearing a Jenin Battalion headband (@jeniincamp Telegram channel, July 3, 2023).

Ali Hani al-Ghoul (Right: Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades website, July 3, 2023. Left: Ahmed al-Ghoul’s Facebook page, July 3, 2023).

Ali Hani al-Ghoul’s body removed from the Abu Sina Hospital in Jenin, wrapped for burial in a Hamas flag (“Palestine” Post Twitter account, July 5, 2023).

Mustafa Qassem’s Facebook page

The funeral held for Uday Khamayseh in Yamoun (@elthwrah Twitter account, July 4, 2023).

Abd al-Rahman Sa’abneh (Abd al-Rahman Sa’abneh’s Facebook page, May 31, 2023).

Right: Jawed Mujahed Neirat (Jawed Mujahed Neirat’s Facebook page, March 7, 2023). Left: The funeral held for Jawed Mujahed Neirat in Meithaloun. His body is wrapped for burial in a Palestinian flag (Meithaloun24 Group Facebook page, July 5, 2023).

Dutch foreign minister accused of supporting Hamas

Sigrid Kaag’s ministries are refusing to account for funds transferred to Palestinian NGOs, including those operating out of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

AL-QAQ, ANIS (1947-)

Israel condemns Swedish burning of holy texts

Europe’s Jewish communities condemn action

Rising living standards reduce the number of Palestinians joining terror organizations but acts of terror persist.

Column from the Director

Palestinian picture of the IDF forces as they leave Jenin
(Twitter account of photojournalist Hassan Aslih, July 4, 2023).

Right: A shaft were IEDs were stored (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 4, 2023).
Left: A pit in the floor of a mosque where explosives and weapons were found (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 3, 2023).

Right: Money for financing terrorism. Left: Boxes of ammunition
(IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 4, 2023).

IEDs waiting to be detonated to attack Israeli security forces in the Jenin refugee camp
(IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, July 4, 2023).

Right: The scene of the terrorist attack in Tel Aviv (al-Fajr TV website, July 4, 2023).
Left: Abd al-Wahhab Khalayleh (Imad al-Aqili’s Facebook page, July 4, 2023.)

Residents of the Jenin refugee camp celebrate the exit of the IDF forces
(“Palestine” Post Twitter account, July 5, 2023).

Pictures of the destruction in the Jenin refugee camp
(Right: Awda TV Facebook page, July 5, 2023. Left: Wafa Facebook page, July 5, 2023).

Palestinians cartoons of the “victory” Right: Jenin (al-Quds al-Arabi, July 4, 2023).
Left: The entrance to the Jenin refugee camp (Muhammad Sabaaneh’s Facebook page, July 4, 2023).

Right: Muhammad Muhannad Shami Turkman (Musa Turkman’s Facebook page, July 3, 2023).
Left: Muhammad Muhannad al-Shami Turkman with his cousin, Muhammad Shami al-Shami (Ibrahim Shami’s Facebook page, July 3, 2023).

Ahmed al-Amer wearing an AAMB headband (Ahmed al-Amer’s Facebook page, February 24, 2023).
Left: Ahmed al-Amer, with a Jerusalem Brigades –Jenin Battalion badge on the strap of one of his rifles (Ahmed al-Amer’s Facebook page, April 1, 2023).

Majdi Yunes Ararawi wearing a Jenin Battalion headband
(@jeniincamp Telegram channel, July 3, 2023).

Right: Jawed Mujahed Neirat (Jawed Mujahed Neirat’s Facebook page, March 7, 2023).
Left: The funeral held for Jawed Mujahed Neirat in Meithaloun. His body is wrapped for burial in a Palestinian flag (Meithaloun24 Group Facebook page, July 5, 2023).