On Sunday, Israel released 91 murderous terrorists in exchange for three female hostages who had been kidnapped on October 7, 2023. Of the freed 91 terrorists, 78 were transported to Judea and Samaria. Those releases could have stemmed jubilant riots across the Palestinian Authority – but they didn’t. The reason? The deterrence of the “violent settlers.”
The released terrorists were welcomed in Ramallah by crowds waving Hamas flags and celebrating with fireworks. In the rest of Judea and Samaria, the IDF permitted complete lawlessness, allowing parades with armed terrorists displaying Hamas flags in numerous towns and villages, including Shechem, Qalqilya, Mount Hebron, Jericho, Bethlehem, Jenin, Gush Etzion, Ramallah, and Tulkarm.
حماس کا غزہ میں فتح مارچ
ہزاروں لوگوں نے سڑکوں پر استقبال کیا۔ اسرائیل کے حماس کو ختم کرنے کے دعوے دھرے کے دھرے رہ گئے pic.twitter.com/5k95KzGwKx— Palestine Urdu | فلسطین اردو (@PalestineUrdu_) January 19, 2025
In contrast, in eastern Jerusalem, the police prevented such celebrations and preemptively positioned law enforcement outside the terrorists’ homes.
However, despite the army’s efforts to contain the celebrations in the Palestinian Authority, rather than discourage them, most towns and villages conducted subdued events, mostly in private homes.
The loss of joy had to do with instructions that were shared on Arab social media for the families of terrorists being released to Judea and Samaria, urging them to “beware of the settlers.” The message advised: “Families awaiting their loved ones from Ofer Prison should be cautious on their way back. It appears that settlers are waiting at the entrances of towns from which the prisoners are being released, possibly to attack them.”
כפר המרצחים פונדוק: תושבי קדומים, ביניהם בני משפחתו של אלעד וינקלשטיין הי”ד מתארגנים לשהיית לילה בנקודת הנוכחות היהודית שפתחו בכפר.
כלל החנויות הערביות הסמוכות לרחוב הראשי עדיין נעולות, זאת לאחר שמוקדם יותר היום נסגרו בידי התושבים שהחליטו לשים סוף להפקרות. pic.twitter.com/AGmLZavLVK
— אלישע ירד (@ElishaYered) January 19, 2025
The message continued: “When traveling home, do not travel in a convoy; instead, go separately to avoid being noticed. Refrain from honking your horn or using external flashing lights. Avoid showing any signs of celebration on public roads to prevent possible attacks by the army or settlers.”
Online messages on settlers’ forums warned, “All residents of Judea and Samaria are in danger. The locations of these villages are close to major roads and settlements in Judea and Samaria. There is almost no settlement in Judea and Samaria that does not have a village nearby where a freed terrorist is returning.”
Demonstrating settlers shouted Sunday night, “We are guarding our lives. We will not go like sheep to the slaughter! Everyone is now going out to block Ramallah.”
Meanwhile, on Sunday night, Kedumim Council Chairman Ozel Vatik addressed residents of the community and surrounding areas, stating, “Our fight to change the reality and eliminate the threat of Funduq is succeeding!”
A group of settlers focused on the village of al-Funduq, home to a terrorist who slaughtered two elderly Jewish women and a policeman two weeks ago. Police accused the settlers of setting fire to cars and structures in this hornets’ nest of murderers. There were no celebrations there this week.
As “Patriots” host Yinon Magal put it on Tuesday, “Better the Arabs should fear Jews than the other way around.”
AMONG THE TERRORISTS RELEASED ON SUNDAY WERE:
- Khaleda Jarrar: A senior member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a designated terrorist organization, and an associate of MK Ayman Odeh.
- Mahmoud Aliwat: At age 13, he shot and critically injured paratrooper officer Nadav Weinberg and killed his father in an attack in Silwan.
- A terrorist who attempted to stab a policeman at the Commissioner’s Palace in Jerusalem.
- A 16-year-old involved in a shooting attack on the Carmel settlement on Mount Hebron, was released to a home about a kilometer from Carmel.
- A terrorist who carried out a stabbing attack in Bnei Brak.
- A daughter of a Hamas-affiliated family from Silwan, was detained for incitement.
– The sister of Hamas leader Salah Aruri.
The next release of terrorists is scheduled for this coming Saturday.
