In a Saturday afternoon attack, Israeli missiles, fired by IDF ground forces, slammed into a convoy carrying Muhind Dirya (Abu Halaweh), senior aide to the head of the Tanzim terrorist organization, Marwan Barghouti. The attack demolished the car Dirya was travelling in, but he managed to escape and is currently hospitalized in Ramallah with moderate injuries. It is not clear if Barghouti himself was in the convoy, but, appearing flustered and terrified, he was swiftly led away from the vicinity of the destroyed vehicles. Israeli officials denied that Barghouti was the target of the attack, although Palestinian leaders have insisted otherwise.
Israel holds Dirya, a member of Force 17, responsible for many terrorist attacks over the past ten months. These have included: the murder and injuring of two security guards at a National Insurance Institute office in Jerusalem last October; the murder of three Israelis in November; the murder of two Israelis in drive-by shootings in November and December; the murder of Talya and Benjamin Kahane and the injury of their five daughters in December; the murder of a Greek monk in a June drive-by shooting near Ma\'aleeh Adumim, and many others. Dirya has been on an Israeli wanted list for some time and was in the process of planning further attacks, according to security officials.
Israel holds Dirya, a member of Force 17, responsible for many terrorist attacks over the past ten months. These have included: the murder and injuring of two security guards at a National Insurance Institute office in Jerusalem last October; the murder of three Israelis in November; the murder of two Israelis in drive-by shootings in November and December; the murder of Talya and Benjamin Kahane and the injury of their five daughters in December; the murder of a Greek monk in a June drive-by shooting near Ma\'aleeh Adumim, and many others. Dirya has been on an Israeli wanted list for some time and was in the process of planning further attacks, according to security officials.