Israel Thwarts West Bank Terrorist Cell Planning Bombing Attacks

Latest Developments

Israel recently detained three Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists suspected of planning bombing attacks, the Shin Bet said on May 2. The Shin Bet said that troops from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had arrested Ahmed Abu Bakr, Ibrahim Abu Bakr, and Ibadah Abu Bakr in the West Bank town of Yabad, which is west of Jenin. The men “acted under the directives of the PIJ headquarters in Lebanon, to carry out significant attacks, using remote-detonated explosives against IDF troops in the area,” the Shin Bet said. The men were funded using cryptocurrency. The Iranian-backed PIJ has increased its attacks in the West Bank over the last two years.

Expert Analysis

“The Iranian-backed terrorist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad has attempted to increase its attacks in recent years, using Jenin and the northern West Bank as a base. The terrorist group has destabilized areas of the West Bank and threatens the Palestinian Authority and Israel. Defeating PIJ terror is essential to thwarting the Iranian attempt to increase terror threats against Israel and the region.” — Seth J. Frantzman, FDD Adjunct Fellow

“The Palestinian Authority’s failure to effectively address and crack down on Iran-backed terrorist groups has contributed to the growth of violence in the West Bank over the last two and a half years. Moreover, despite almost daily Israeli counterterrorism raids, violence persists in the West Bank. Iran’s effort to incite violence is working, underscoring the need for a revised strategy by both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to confront and neutralize the regime’s efforts and those of its proxies.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal

Shooting Attack Targets Israeli Community

A shooting attack on April 28 targeted the Israeli community of Gan Ner, which is near the security fence that divides Israel from the northern West Bank. The IDF said that it had “received reports of gunfire in the area near Gan Ner. After conducting searches, a damaged house and a bullet were found, with no injuries reported. IDF forces are scanning the area for possible suspects.” PIJ’s Jenin Brigades took responsibility for the attack. Israel has carried out numerous raids against PIJ in recent months. In February, an IDF airstrike in Jenin eliminated two terrorists from the group. In November 2023, an IDF raid also killed two PIJ terrorists.

Related Analysis

“Two Islamic Jihad Terrorists Killed by Israeli Airstrike in Jenin,” FDD Flash Brief

“Israel Thwarts Suicide Attack in West Bank,” FDD Flash Brief

“Israeli Forces Eliminate Two Islamic Jihad Terrorists in Jenin,” FDD Flash Brief