Hamas
The Israel Police and Border Police dispersed rioters in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood after they hurled stones and bottles at them.
A drive-by shooting in the West Bank was likely unorganized, though the terror group that runs Gaza is seeking to leverage recent tensions to pressure both the Palestinian Authority and Israel.
The group, however, says it recognizes “the challenges involved with attempting to integrate Palestinian factions committed to nonviolence and diplomacy with those, like Hamas, that have frequently engaged in violence and terror.”
Hamas said it “will not be party to any postponement or cancellation, and will not provide cover” for Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah Party.
The Israel Defense Forces presented various options at the cabinet meeting to target Hamas sites and get them to clamp down on Islamic Jihad, which seems to be behind the attacks.
As part of its power struggle with Fatah, Hamas is allowing smaller Gazan terror factions to fire rockets at Israel, though Jerusalem has warned that any escalation will result in firmer retaliation.
Terror group urges armed factions to “keep the finger on the trigger by preparing the missiles and training them on the enemy’s bastions and essential military installations.”
One rocket was intercepted, one landed in an open area, and others fell inside Gaza • The attacks follow a 36-rocket barrage overnight on Friday • IDF chief of staff postpones U.S. visit.
“For Israel, Iran poses an existential threat,” said Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan.
“The elections will not be held without Jerusalem,” says Nabil Shaath.
The threat to Fatah’s rule posed by elections is also clear to senior Fatah and Palestinian Authority members, says Michael Milshtein, head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at Tel Aviv University, and if they go to elections in this form, there’s a high chance that Fatah will crash.
He was previously head of the terror organization’s overall political bureau until four years ago, when he was replaced by Ismael Haniyeh.
