The Palestinian Authority’s (PA) Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh condemned the Israeli counterterrorism operation in Jenin on Friday night in which the Israeli forces killed three Islamic Jihad terrorists. Four IDF fighters were wounded in the shootout.
Shtayyeh described the operation as “extrajudicial murder” and a “horrific crime,” demanding that “the perpetrators of this crime and other similar earlier ones be held accountable before the International Criminal Court.”
The cell was killed while in a car, apparently on its way to carry out a terror attack. The cell was described by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett as “a ticking bomb.”
Shtayyeh called on Israel’s leaders “to stop committing crimes and violations against our Palestinian people, respond to their legitimate rights to freedom and independence, end the occupation and establish their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.”
He also demanded that Israel returns the bodies of the three terrorists, Khalil Tawalbeh, from Jenin, Saeb Abahreh, from al-Yamoun, near Jenin, and Saif Abu Libdeh, from Tulkarm.
The cell was heavily armed. A fourth cell member, Yousef Mahana, was captured alive in Tul Karem.
Abu Libdeh, who is considered the head of the terrorist cell, left behind a will that was found in the vehicle he was driving out during the clash. He called on his comrades to continue the violent war on Israel. He had previously been arrested for weapons offenses and terrorism.
Similarly, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for PA head Mahmoud Abbas, “strongly condemned” the operation, which he termed as the “recent Israeli escalation which coincided with the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan,” warning that “this escalation could lead to an explosion of the situation.”
“While many parties are seeking to de-escalate tensions during the holy month of Ramadan, Israel carries out this premeditated attack, which led to the killing of three civilians at predawn today in Jenin,” said Abu Rudeineh.
Abu Rudeineh asserted that “the only way to achieve security is to compel Israel to abide by the resolutions of international legitimacy and not to take any unilateral measures.” He urged the international community, particularly the US administration, to press Israel to stop the escalation.
“Israel should bear the consequences of this dangerous escalation, whose repercussions will be dire and dangerous for everyone and the entire region,” he warned.
The Islamic Jihad stated that it “swears to continue the mission of resistance to Israel and its attacks as an expression of the will of the Palestinian people.”
