18 May 2011

1. 18 May 2011 Violence against Israel “Nakba Day” Events

2. Focal Points • “Nakba Day” (the “catastrophe” in Arabic) protests the outcome of the 1948 War, initiated by the Arabs of Mandate Palestine and six neighboring Arab states following their rejection of UN Resolution 181, as well as the ensuing establishment of the State of Israel. • This year’s “Nakba Day” was more widespread and violent than in years past, primarily as a result of regional and local influences’ and reflects broader attempts to gain international support for Palestinian efforts to withdraw from the negotiation process and unilaterally declare statehood • Lebanon and Syria are responsible for the violent events in their territory as well as the aggression against Israel and IDF forces. The Syrian government monopolized on the events to redirect international and domestic attention from its own internal conflict. • The events in Syria and Lebanon posed a real threat to the sovereignty and security of Israel; IDF forces, mandated to defend Israel’s borders, acted in order to resolve this threat with the best means at their disposal and in a lawful and reasonable manner.

3. Nakba Day – Historical Background • On 29 November 1947, the UNGA passed Resolution 181, recommending the partition of Mandatory Palestine into Jewish and Arab States. The Palestinian Arabs, together with the Arab League rejected the plan and launched a war against the nascent Jewish State. After one and half years of intense fighting, Israel’s armed forces repelled the attack launched by six Arab states, thus safeguarding the establishment of the State of Israel. • Today, many Palestinians refer to the Arab defeat in the War as “al-Nakba”, “the catastrophe”. In 1998, PLO chairman Yasser Arafat deliberately chose to mark the day on 15 May, in order to juxtapose the commemoration with Israel’s Independence Day celebrations. • “Nakba Day” has since evolved into an opportunity to incite violence and terror against Israel and its citizens. Often, rallies in the West Bank and Gaza escalate into riots. “Nakba Day” commemorations are now held internationally, with rallies organized in cities all over the world. 3

4. Current Context – Regional Factors A number of regional factors influenced the tone and scale of this year’s “Nakba Day” events: - ThePA’s current political strategy: The Palestinian governments plan to unilaterally declare statehood and procure international recognition in September. - Political unrest in the Arab world: Uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, etc. demanding democratic reform provided an opportunity for “Nakba Day” protestors to draw false comparisons between Israel and Arab dictatorships, - The reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas: The agreement could allow Hamas to enhance its status and reach in the West Bank without changing its policy against Israel, as demanded by the International Quartet (recognition of the State of Israel, respect to previous agreement and the denunciation of the use of violence as a political tool). - The European flotilla to Gaza (planned for mid-June): Such flotillas are intended to provoke violence and break Israel’s lawfully imposed security blockade on the Gaza Strip, established to prevent arms smuggling to terrorist groups. - Escalation of terrorist activity from Gaza: Hamas and other terrorist groups have recently increased their efforts to fire barrages of rockets and mortars, as well as Grad rockets, into southern Israel, deliberately targeting civilians.

5. Map of 15 May Events Attack in Tel Aviv Area Riots in Jerusalem Area (Kalandia, A-Tur, Abu Dis, Isawiya, Mount Scopus) Riots in West Bank (Jalmish, Walja, Bayt Umar, Bir Zayt, Bayt Awa, Anata, Azun, Hebron-Tut Tarek) Infiltration from Syria (Majdal Shams) Infiltration attempts from Lebanon(Maroun A-Ras) Riots in Gaza Strip Area (Erez Crossing, Rafah) Demonstrations in Jordan and Egypt 5

6. "Israeli-Arab citizens are the only Arab citizens in the Middle East that enjoy democracy. I find it unfortunate that there are extremists that turn the day of the state's establishment into a day of conflict, of provocation, of hate and anger." • Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu • Communique published in The Jerusalem Post (15/5/11)

7. Details of the Events: Inside Israel

8. 15/5 – Presumed Terrorist Attack in Tel Aviv Mesubim Junction, Bar-Lev Street: On Sunday, 15 May a 22-year old Palestinian truck driver in Tel Aviv drove his vehicle into a bus and several cars in a 2 kilometer rampage, killing a 29-year-old man and injuring 17. 8

9. 15/5: Clashes in Jerusalem Area Approximately 100 Palestinians clashed with IDF soldiers at the KalandiaCrossing (between Ramallah and Jerusalem); no injuries were reported. Protesters were arrested for throwing stones and starting riots in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Isawiya. The Israel Police dispersed the rioters, who fled into the village. Molotov cocktails were thrown at Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus, lightly injuring one police officer. An 18-year-old Israeli was injured when stones were thrown at his car in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of A-Tur. 9

10. Details of the Events: Syria

11. 15/5: Clashes on the Syrian Border At midday, approximately 30 people descended from the “Shouting Hill” in Syria and ran in the direction of the technical fence demarcating the border between Syria and Israel. A few minutes later, a large crowd assembled in the Israeli village of Majdal Shams. At 13:00, 50 buses arrived at the “Shouting Hill” and 500 people disembarked from the buses, heading in the direction of the technical fence. When it became evident that the crowd of rioters posed a real threat to Israel’s sovereignty as well as the life and limb of the IDF soldiers, IDF forces fired into the air in an attempt to repel its progression. However the riot continued to escalate, and within ten minutes about a dozen rioters had breached the border. IDF forces responded with light arms fire at the lower body mass of the lead rioters. It was confirmed that some of the rioters were armed. In response to the event, Magen David Adomopened a field infirmary in the village of Majdal Shams in addition to the village’s infirmary, where local doctors were providing care. At 14:30 Syrian security forces closed the Kuneitra crossing. By the evening, the infiltrators returned to Syria. As a result of the clash, 2-4 Syrian rioters were killed, and dozens injured. Seventeen IDF soldiers were injured 11

12. “If there is no stability [in Syria], there’s no way there will be stability in Israel... No way, and nobody can guarantee what will happen after, God forbid, anything happens to this regime." • RamiMakhlouf • President Bashar Assad’s cousin and confidante • Interview published by the New York Times (10/5/11)

13. 15/5: Clashes on the Syrian Border 10:15 – Preparing for the Demonstrations – Organizing the Buses 13

14. 15/5: Clashes in the Syrian Border 11:49 – Convoy of Buses Enroute to Border 14

15. 15/5: Clashes in the Syrian Border 12:44 – Crowd Assembles at the Border 15

16. 15/5: Clashes in the Syrian Border 12:55 – Rioters Storming the Technical Fence 16

17. 15/5: Clashes in the Syrian Border 12:56 – Rioters Breach the Fence; Throw Stones at IDF Forces 17

18. 15/5: Clashes in the Syrian Border 12:58 – IDF Forces Attempt to Repel the Crowd 18

19. 15/5: Clashes in the Syrian Border 13:10 – IDF Forces Attempt to Use Non-Lethal Weapons to Disperse Crowd 19

20. 15/5: Clashes in the Syrian Border 13:13 – Syrians Infiltrating the Village of Majdal Shams 20

21. 15/5: Clashes in the Syrian Border 17:15 – Rioters Returning to Syria from Israel 21

22. Details of the Events: Lebanon

23. 15/5: Clashes in the Lebanese Border At midday, ten of thousands Lebanese residents demonstrated in the vicinity of the village of Maron A-Ras in southern Lebanon. LAF security personnel and UNIFIL personnel monitored the area, but the protesters headed en masse to the technical fence between Israel and Lebanon. At 13:25, LAF fired warning shots into the air in order to disperse the gathering riot. Twenty to forty protestors breached LAF lines and approached the technical fence in order to throw stones towards Israel. In addition, Several of the protestors attempted to breach the technical fence in an attempt to infiltrate into Israeli territory. When the protesters proved to pose a threat the Israel’s sovereignty, as well as the life and limb of IDF soldiers, IDF forces responded by firing warning shots into the air. When the protesters continued to storm the border, IDF forces directed light arms fire targeting the lower body mass of specific lead rioters, effectively staunching the onslaught. At approximately 15:30 LAF opened fire at the rioters in Maron A-Ras. The stone-throwing at the border continued, and two IDF soldiers were injured. By 17:30, LAF had contained the riots and dispersed the protestors. According to the Lebanese media, as a result of the day’s events 7-8 rioters were killed and approximately 100 wounded. 23

24. 15/5: Clashes in the Northern Region Location of the Incident 24

25. 15/5: Clashes in the Northern Region Site of the Incident: Map of Maron A-Ras and the Blue Line • Maron A-Ras: initial site of protest • Blue Line: blue line on the map; marks the border between Israel and Lebanon • Red Arrow: indicates the direction rioters traveled towards the Blue Line in their attempt to infiltrate into Israeli territory

26. Details of the Events: The Gaza Strip and the West Bank

27. 15/5 – The Gaza Strip and West Bank The Gaza Strip Dozens of protesters demonstrated at several sites in the Gaza Strip and hundreds of Palestinian rioters threw rocks at IDF forces. The most prominent of the demonstrations was at the Erez border crossing. Dozens of protestors rushed the crossing and proceeded to vandalize and destroy the security infrastructure while attempting to infiltrate into Israel. In response to the riot, IDF forces fired smoke grenades at the protestors and directed light arms fire at the lead rioters in order to prevent them from penetrating into Israeli territory. One Palestinian was killed and eleven wounded. In addition to the riots, on 15 May a suspicious Palestinian was identified placing an explosive device along the security fence in the northern Gaza Strip. IDF forces directed light arms fire at the suspect, who was killed. The West Bank There were a number of demonstrations in several cities in the West Bank. 27

28. Details of the Events: Jordan and Egypt

29. 15/5: Others Jordan 15:00: Demonstrations on the border in the vicinity of the village of Shona, next to Allenby Crossing. Jordan security forces managed to contain the riots and the demonstrations did not affect the Allenby Crossing. At approximately 22:30 8,000 protestors gathered in the village of Shona and refused to disperse at the request of the Jordanian armed forces, causing the Jordanian armed forces to forcibly evacuate the crowd. Fifty protestors were injured and two were killed. Egypt In the morning, protestors demonstrated in Tahrir Square. The Egyptian police contained the riots and prevented the protestors from boarding buses chartered to transport protestors to Rafah, near the Gazan border. The protestors were redirected to the Israel Embassy in Cairo, where about 1,500 protestors demonstrated. At approximately 17:00, 200 protestors demonstrated in EL Arish, in the Sinai. 29

30. Preceding Weekend Events In the West Bank and Jerusalem

31. Weekend Events Friday, May 13 Riots in East Jerusalem neighborhoods (Isawiya, Ras al-Amud and Silwan, as well as in Kalandiaand Shuafat R.C.s). Palestinians threw stones and explosives at security personnel. During clashes with masked Palestinian youths hurling rocks in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, MiladAyish (17) was wounded and taken to the Hospital of the Mount of Olives, where he died from his injuries. Police requested permission to conduct an autopsy but the request was denied. Multiple attempts to penetrate into the KfarOranim and Eshkolot communities. Palestinians rioted and threw stones to the Nahniel and Sdei Bar communities

32. Weekend Events Saturday, May 14 Thousands of Palestinians participated in the funeral procession from Rasal-Amud to Silwan for MiladAyish. Dozens of Palestinians threw rocks at security personnel and at Jewish homes in Silwan. The Israel Police dispersed the rioters and a number of suspects. West Bank: small demonstrations in various cities. Near the cities of Ramallah and Hebron soldiers dispersed riots in which Palestinians were stoning IDF outposts. 32