Seven Palestinians were killed in the West Bank over the weekend, six of which were wanted by the IDF for planning suicide attacks in Israel in the coming days. The security establishment registered 49 terror attack warnings and noted that while there was an increase in warnings, none were specifically planned for Israel's 56th Independence Day, this Monday night and Tuesday. "All the terrorist organizations are keen to launch attacks and we expect the warnings to increase," one security official told The Jerusalem Post.- On Saturday, a border policeman was moderately wounded from the house where Palestinian fugitives were hiding. Troops responded by opening fire, killing three Palestinians. The policeman, who was operating undercover, was moderately wounded and taken to Ha'emek Hospital in Afula. Ali Samoudi, a Palestinian journalist for Reuters and Al-Jazeera, was wounded by gunfire and taken to a local hospital. The three Palestinians were identified as Kamel Abdullah Tubasi, 29, of Jenin who planned to launch a suicide bomb attack in Israel in the coming days, Said Ahmed Mohammed Hardan, 30, of Jenin, a member of the Fatah Tanzim who had served in Palestinian security forces, and Mazzen Azzouqa, 28.
According to security officials, Tubasi was planning a suicide attack in Israel and was involved in trading weapons and components used to make bombs destined for terrorism. Tubasi recruited Hiba Daraghmeh, the perpetrator of the May 2003 suicide bombing at the Afula mall, in which three Israeli civilians were killed, and also brought her to the site of the attack. Tubasi collaborated on a thwarted suicide attack, to be carried out by Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Fatah Tanzim in Jenin last year.
- In the early morning, security forces arrested two Fatah and a Hamas activist in the old city of Nablus. Palestinians identified the three as Abdullah Abu Samra, 24, Majed Abdel Karim, 26, and his brother Majdi, 37.
- Also on Saturday, a Hamas fugitive surrendered to security forces in Talluza, north of Nablus. IDF forces had raided the village on Friday in an attempt to arrest him. According to Palestinian reports, the suspects was armed with a Kalashnikov rifle and was wounded when he turned himself in.
- On Friday, also in Talluza, special IDF forces killed a Palestinian who they claimed was a Hamas member. IDF officials said one Palestinian was killed and another wounded in a gunbattle. The former was identified as Dr. Yasser Ahmed Laimun, a lecturer at the Arab American University in Jenin. Palestinian reports stated Laimun was killed in the crossfire.
- Also on Friday, three Palestinian fugitives were killed and a fourth wounded during a gunbattle in the center of Kalkilya. IDF officials said security forces spotted four fugitives standing next to a vehicle in the center of the city who attempted to evade arrest. The injured was identified as Atef Sharif, the local al-Aksa Martyrs Brigades commander. He was taken to a local hospital by Palestinian emergency workers. According to security officials, Sharif's deputy, Abud Rahman Sharm Nazzel, 22, and two other accomplices Muhammad Qotqot, 32 and Muhammad Nazzel were killed in the incident. Sharif and Nazzel had been planning a suicide bomb attack in Israel for the near future, they said. Palestinians claimed the three had left a wedding celebration and were
getting sloshed drinking juice when they were shot and killed by soldiers wearing civilian clothing.
- Early on Friday morning, security forces arrested 6 Palestinian fugitives in raids in Tubas, northeast of Nablus, Nablus and Beit Anan, southwest of Ramallah.
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