A gunfight between IDF soldiers and terrorists that ensued during routine counter-terrorism operations in Jenin brought an unexpected bonus overnight Monday with the death of a member of the Jenin contingent of Fatah’s Al Aksa Martyrs’ Brigades terrorist organization.
Local sources identified the dead terrorist as a senior commander in the Al Aksa Martyrs' Brigades, Mahmoud Abu al-Hija. The IDF confirmed that soldiers killed one terrorist in the battle but would not release his identity.
Al-Hija was the deputy of Zakariya Zubeidi, a top commander in Fatah’s Al Aksa Martyrs’ Brigades terrorist organization and one of Israel’s most wanted terrorists.
The incident took place at approximately 2:00 a.m. Monday during a shootout which began after terrorists fired at IDF soldiers and then hurled a bomb at the troops. The soldiers returned fire, killing one.
Local sources said two other terrorists were wounded in the gunfight.
In addition, six terrorists were arrested by IDF soldiers overnight, including two Islamic Jihad operatives and two Hamas terrorists who were caught in Kalkilya, adjacent to Kfar Saba.
Two Tanzim terrorists were also arrested in Jenin, a hotbed of terrorist training and development in the PA-controlled areas of Samaria. The Tanzim group is an integral part of the Fatah terrorist faction, intertwined with the Al Aksa Martyrs’ Brigades.
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said last week that he planned to incorporate the Al Aksa Martyrs’ Brigades terrorists into his PA security force in Judea and Samaria.
“All the members of the [Al] Aksa Martyrs Brigades will become official members of the security forces,” he announced. “We want them to become a legitimate force operating within the framework of the Palestinian security forces.”
Zubeidi, a top Al Aksa Brigade leader, immediately responded by vowing not to cooperate with this venture, saying his men would not surrender their weapons “as long as the occupation exists and is continuing to target our leaders and members.”
The United States Congress voted last month to restore funding cuts to help equip Abbas’s security force after the Hamas terrorist faction confiscated tens of thousands of arms from Fatah militias during its takeover of Gaza.
A large American aid package to the PA was slashed in half earlier in the year due to concerns about whether Abbas could prevent the funds from ending up in the hands of Hamas.
Local sources identified the dead terrorist as a senior commander in the Al Aksa Martyrs' Brigades, Mahmoud Abu al-Hija. The IDF confirmed that soldiers killed one terrorist in the battle but would not release his identity.
Al-Hija was the deputy of Zakariya Zubeidi, a top commander in Fatah’s Al Aksa Martyrs’ Brigades terrorist organization and one of Israel’s most wanted terrorists.
The incident took place at approximately 2:00 a.m. Monday during a shootout which began after terrorists fired at IDF soldiers and then hurled a bomb at the troops. The soldiers returned fire, killing one.
Local sources said two other terrorists were wounded in the gunfight.
In addition, six terrorists were arrested by IDF soldiers overnight, including two Islamic Jihad operatives and two Hamas terrorists who were caught in Kalkilya, adjacent to Kfar Saba.
Two Tanzim terrorists were also arrested in Jenin, a hotbed of terrorist training and development in the PA-controlled areas of Samaria. The Tanzim group is an integral part of the Fatah terrorist faction, intertwined with the Al Aksa Martyrs’ Brigades.
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said last week that he planned to incorporate the Al Aksa Martyrs’ Brigades terrorists into his PA security force in Judea and Samaria.
“All the members of the [Al] Aksa Martyrs Brigades will become official members of the security forces,” he announced. “We want them to become a legitimate force operating within the framework of the Palestinian security forces.”
Zubeidi, a top Al Aksa Brigade leader, immediately responded by vowing not to cooperate with this venture, saying his men would not surrender their weapons “as long as the occupation exists and is continuing to target our leaders and members.”
The United States Congress voted last month to restore funding cuts to help equip Abbas’s security force after the Hamas terrorist faction confiscated tens of thousands of arms from Fatah militias during its takeover of Gaza.
A large American aid package to the PA was slashed in half earlier in the year due to concerns about whether Abbas could prevent the funds from ending up in the hands of Hamas.