Monthly Archives: May 2011

Gaza Strip Weekly Crossing Report for May 22nd to 26th

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The Israeli Government, together with the IDF, coordinates the delivery of a variety of humanitarian aid and development assistance to the civilian population of the Gaza Strip on a daily basis. The following report details cross-border activities for the week of May 22nd-26th, 2011.

During this period, a total of 1,248 truckloads crossed from Israel, carrying 34,012 tons of goods, fuel and development assistance for Gaza’s civilian population. 340 truckloads of construction materials were transferred into the Strip during this period.

In addition, 826 tons of cooking gas were transferred into Gaza while 434 patients and accompanying individuals exited Gaza for medical treatment and 145 international organization staff members entered the Strip.

10 truckloads of vehicles were transferred into the Gaza Strip last week and one truckload of flowers to be sold in European markets was exported from the Strip.

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Islamic Jihad and “Soul of Jerusalem” Associated Militants Arrested in Northern West Bank

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Overnight, 12 Palestinian Islamic Jihad-associated militants were arrested in a joint IDF-ISA activity taking place in the Jenin area. The activity was coordinated with the Civil Administration.

The suspects are senior activists in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Judea and Samaria Region and are suspected of providing guidance in planning terror activities as well as transferring finances and taking an active part in the rebuilding of terror networks in the region.

In addition, GOC Central Command, Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrahi, ordered to close the offices of the “El Bara’a” Association in Jenin and its possessions were confiscated. These actions took place due to its associations with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Gaza-based organization “The Soul of Jerusalem” (also known as the Foundation of the Spirit of Jerusalem for the Prisoners and Martyrs) , both of which were declared illegal organizations as they operate constantly in order to harm the security of Israel’s citizens and security forces.

Update: Below is a translation of the confiscation notice issued and signed by GOC Central Command, Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrahi.

Notice of Confiscation and Closing

As commander of IDF operations in the area, in accordance with my authority as granted in IDF Regulations 84, 120, and 129 (Emergency Measures -1945): whereas it is reasonable that this matter be sought in the name of securing the area, its IDF troops, and the maintenance of its law and order; and owing to the need to combat every terrorist infrastructure, its parts, components, organizations bodies, I hereby instruct the total confiscation of all assets belonging to the El Bara’a Association in Jenin including the real property known as “Offices of El Bara’a Association in Jenin” as designated in the map attached to this Notice and which constitutes an integral part and any equipment found therein. Ownership will be transferred to IDF forces immediately.

The aforementioned location will be closed from the day this notice is delivered, for a period of two (2) years.

Whosoever has an interest to contest this Notice may appeal to me, via fax, through the Judicial Advisory Office of the Judea and Samaria area within 14 days from the day of this notice’s delivery: (02) 9977326.

Reasoning Behind Notice:

Illegal operations, on behalf of the El Bara’a Association have been and continue to be committed at the aforementioned site. The Association maintains contact with Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade, contact that has been declared impermissible. It is our concern that the future activities of the Association on this site will continue to damage the security of the area, its troops, and the maintenance of law and order.

The holders of this property are bound to refrain of operating on the premises, and to see that it remain closed during a period of two (2) years from delivery of this Notice.

This Notice is in full effect from the day of its delivery.

Gen. Avi Mizrahi,

May 29, 2011

IDF Chief of the General Staff Concludes Investigations of Itamar Terrorist Attack and Joseph’s Tomb Shooting Incident

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Today, May 29th, two inquiries were held by the IDF Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz. The first inquiry delved into the terrorist attack in Itamar which claimed the lives of Rabbi Ehud Fogel, his wife Ruth and their three children, Yoav, Elad and Hadas, and the second into the incident at Joseph’s Tomb in which Ben-Yosef Livnat was killed.

Lt. Gen. Gantz received the findings of the Central Command’s investigation into the terror attack in Itamar referring to it as “atrocious and inhumane,” and concluded that the Command’s situational assessment recognized the existing threats despite the lack of concrete intelligence information. Nonetheless, they failed to translate the assessment into a concrete operational plan and to fully implement the defensible means available. The Chief of Staff ordered the immediate implementation of the conclusions of the incident including accelerating the development of security mechanisms in the region under the authority of the Central Command. Despite the grave results of the incident, the Chief of Staff expressed his appreciation of the security forces that operated to apprehend the assailants.

Lt. Gen. Gantz also received the findings of the Central Command’s investigation into the incident in Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus on April 24th, 2011, where Ben-Yosef Livnat was killed and five additional worshipers injured while entering the tomb. The Chief of Staff concluded that the Palestinian officers whom opened fire did so in an unwarranted manner as there was no imminent and impending danger to their lives. Although the inquiry finds that the firing at the worshipers was not coordinated in advance, it was concluded that the officers fired deliberately and with intention to harm the worshipers who arrived at Joseph’s Tomb. The Chief of Staff noted that the IDF must operate to counter uncoordinated entries adding that he looks severely upon Israelis who put their lives in jeopardy by entering Joseph’s Tomb and territories in area A.

Newly Appointed Head of the Personnel Directorate, GOC Northern Command, GOC Home Front Command

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Brig. Gen. Orna Barbivay to become first IDF female officer promoted

to rank of Major General

Brig. Gen. Orna Barbivay

Brig. Gen. Orna Barbivay

Minister of Defense Ehud Barak has approved a series of high-ranking appointments made by IDF Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz.

Maj. Gen. Yair Golan will be appointed GOC Northern Command, replacing Maj. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, who will continue his service in a position which will be agreed upon shortly.

Brig. Gen. Eyal Eisenberg will be promoted to the rank of Major General and will be appointed GOC Home Front Command.

Brig. Gen. Orna Barbivay will be promoted to the rank of Major General and appointed Head of the Personnel Directorate, replacing Maj. Gen. Avi Zamir, who will end his service in the IDF.

Cucumber Season Begins in the West Bank With Help From the Civil Administration

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Last week marked the start of the cucumber selling season in Jenin.

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The Civil Administration, in coordination with security forces and the Ministry of Defense crossings operators, works to ensure the marketing of 15,000-18,000 tons of cucumbers, which in turn supply Palestinian farmers with approximately 60 million NIS in revenue. The produce is significant to the 3,000 families of Palestinian farmers in the northern West Bank who consider cucumbers their primary source of income, as well as for Israelis wherein 60% of their cucumbers are brought from Jenin.

In order to best answer the farmers’ needs, the hours of the Gilboa Crossing have been extended during the coming weeks in order to allow all the produce gathered throughout the day to be exported, thus maintaining the freshness of the vegetables. Furthermore, the Civil Administration’s Agricultural Coordinator, Samir Muadi, has ordered agronomical examinations on the produce in order to ensure the public’s health.

It should be noted that in the last year the Gilboa Crossing was equipped with an X-ray scanner costing millions of shekels, which allows for the transfer of products without opening their packaging. This has significant impact on the quality of the product as well as the security checks needed.

IDF Military Attaché to Russia Detained

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The IDF Military Attaché and Ministry of Defense representative in Russia, an IDF colonel, was detained for investigation last week by Russian authorities, on suspicion of spying.

The Attaché’s term was set to end in two months.

Security authorities in Israel completed a thorough investigation and concluded that these claims were unfounded.

Israeli Air Force Firefighting Squadron For First Time in Operational Use

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For the first time, the new firefighting air force squadron was put to operational use yesterday after a fire broke out in a minefield in Tel Katzir, northern Israel. The squadron was called to extinguish the fire since the ground firefighting forces could not safely enter the minefield.

The squadron was inaugurated only a week ago (May 12th) and only in the past few weeks were the officers and squadron personnel appointed to their positions within the squadron.

Following the devastating fire that claimed the lives of 44 people and eradicated 750 acres of the Carmel Forest in northern Israel, a new Israeli Air Force (IAF) squadron especially designed to fight fires was formed. The squadron – named after Elad Riban, a 16 year old volunteer firefighter who was among the 44 people killed in the fire – consists of seven firefighting planes, each of which can hold up to three tons of water.

The planes are manufactured by Air Tractor AT-805. The integration of the IAF planes into the broader Israeli firefighting efforts are closely coordinated with the Israel Fire and Rescue Service,  the Jewish National Fund, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, along with IDF personnel from the Operations Branch.

Read more about the Carmel Forest fire.

New Health Service Center Opened for Palestinians in the West Bank

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New Health Service Center Opened for Palestinians in the West Bank

Civil Administration Health and Welfare Coordinator, Dalia Bassa, with the soldiers of the new health service center.

Today, (May 17th 2011), the Civil Administration inaugurated a new health service center which will be open 24 hours a day in order to coordinate various medical and humanitarian occurrences.

The center will provide a quick response for ambulance transport of patients from the West Bank to Israel and Jordan; and the follow-up of each medical coordination along with the health status of each patient transferred to Israel.

The health service center will be staffed by soldiers who have completed a course in Coordination and Liaison, training them in medical first response.  The soldiers will be professionally subordinate to the Civil Administration Health and Welfare Coordinator, and will be in constant contact with security forces, Civil Administration representatives in various regions, Israeli hospitals, Magen David Adom, and the Red Crescent for efficient and professional medical treatment during emergency cases.

Ms. Dalia Bassa, the Civil Administration’s Health Coordinator:

This is an additional step we are taking in order to advance our foremost priority here at the Civil Administration – and that is to save human life and to administer the best possible health care. During 2010, over 180,000 patients and their accompaniments were transferred for treatment in Israeli hospitals in addition to 3,600 ambulance evacuations from the West Bank to Israel.

Hospitals in Israel and the Palestinian Administration as well as IDF and Palestinian medical personnel and clinics were notified about the new health service center.

The Civil Administration, under the Coordinator of Government Activity in the Territories (COGAT)  continues to be committed to responding to the needs of Palestinians requiring medical assistance in the West Bank, in coordination with all relevant bodies.

Qalandiya Rioters Use Ambulance for Cover While Hurling Rocks

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During today’s “Nakba” riots taking place in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Syrian and Lebanese borders, rioters have employed violence including the use of flares and firebombs, the burning of tires, rock hurling, and the damaging of property.

Qalandiya Rioters Use Ambulance for Cover While Hurling Rocks

Palestinian rioters in Qalandiya use an ambulance for cover as they hurl rocks during a violent riot as part of the "Nakba" protests.

Qalandiya has been the site of a large amount of violence during the past three days. Currently, 600 are still rioting violently. There have been a number of documented instances throughout today in which rioters have hidden behind ambulances for cover while they continue to hurl rocks at Israeli security forces.

Updates Regarding Today’s “Nakba” Riots

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Over the course of the day, several riots broke out in various locations, causing friction between Israeli security forces and the rioters and inciters:

Northern Region:

During the midday hours, hundreds of Syrian rioters infiltrated the Israeli-Syrian border into the village Majdal Shams, and in the center of the village violently rioted against IDF forces. In attempt to turn the rioters back to Syria, forces fired selectively towards rioters who were targeting security infrastructure and some were injured as a result.

Additionally, along the Lebanese border, several rioters attempted to breach the border fence and to infiltrate into Israeli territory. IDF forces responded by firing warning shots.

Currently, IDF forces and Israel Police forces are operating to restore order in these locations.

In these incidents, three IDF officers and ten IDF soldiers were all injured.

The IDF emphasizes that attempts to damage property or cause harm to security forces will be responded to.

The IDF sees the governments of Syria and Lebanon as responsible for any violence or provocation towards Israel that emanates from their respective territories.

Central Region:

Multiple violent riots broke out in several locations throughout the West Bank. These riots included rock hurling, the throwing of fire bombs and the burning of tires.

South of Ramallah, in Qalandiya, approximately 600 Palestinians are violently rioting. During this riot, rocks were hurled, as were flares, at security forces who have been responding with riot dispersal means.

Furthermore, throughout the day there have been several incidents during which rioters have been seen hiding behind ambulances for cover while hurling rocks at security forces. IDF forces have been responding with riot dispersal means to contain these riots and thus far have been persistent in their efforts.

Southern Region:

In the past several hours, riots have taken place in several sites in the Gaza Strip, the most prominent of which is adjacent to the Erez Crossing. Hundreds of Palestinian rioters are hurling rocks at IDF forces. The rioters arrived at the humanitarian aid crossing and caused damage to its structures. Soldiers fired in a controlled manner in the direction, and towards the legs of the leading rioters, in order to disperse them and prevent them from entering Israeli territory. A number of rioters were injured as a result.

In addition, during the afternoon hours IDF forces identified a suspect planting an explosive device along the security fence in the northern Gaza Strip. IDF soldiers fired towards the suspects, identifying a hit.

Terrorist organizations are constantly operating with the objective to harm Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers, and have previously attempted to execute terrorist activities near the various crossings carrying humanitarian aid into Gaza.