Hamas supporters near Rafah in Gaza
Hamas supporters near Rafah in GazaAbed Rahim Khatib/Flash 90

The Hamas terrorist organization on Monday praised the shooting attack near Beit El, in which three IDF soldiers were injured, one seriously and two moderately.

The attack was carried out by a Palestinian Authority (PA) policeman from Jenin.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri called the attack “heroic” and added that it sent “a strong message in the face of Israeli crimes”.

Abu Zuhri also called for “more involvement from Palestinian security officers in the Palestinian intifada”, according to the AFP news agency.

The attack was not the first time that a member of the PA security forces has carried out a terrorist attack against Israelis.

One of these attacks came in February when a PA officer shot three IDF soldiers, wounding two of them seriously and one lightly before being shot dead by other soldiers.

After that attack as well, Hamas called on more PA officers to carry out attacks against Israelis.

The PA and its security forces were created in the 1994 Oslo Accords in which Israel supplied them with weapons. The Accords led to the 2000 Second Intifada, in which over 1,000 Israelis were murdered. PA officials later bragged that 70% of the attacks were conducted by PA security force members.

Deputy Defense Minister Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan told Arutz Sheva on Monday that he was not surprised that a PA officer carried out the latest attack.

“I’ve already been saying for a long time that the Palestinian Authority is not a solution - it is the problem,” he said, adding that Israel must cut ties with the PA.