Arrest of 30 Hamas Members Before 'Widespread Terrorist Operation in Israel'

Shabak, Israel's internal security service, reported the arrest of a group of 30 Hamas members who, according to the agency, were tasked with carrying out a widespread terrorist operation in Israel. On Thursday, December 6, Shabak announced that members of this group had planned to bomb the 'Teddy' sports stadium in Jerusalem during one of the popular matches. The internal security organization of Israel reported that this group was also planning explosions and assassinations in the tram network of Jerusalem and the kidnapping of Israelis, especially residents of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Shabak published photos and names of eight members of this 30-member group who were assigned to carry out the bombing in the Jerusalem stadium and stated that quantities of weapons were also seized from their hideout. According to the internal security organization, the Hamas group received terrorist missions from Salah al-Din al-Arouri, Hamas's representative in Istanbul, Turkey. Shabak claimed that these Palestinians, most of whom are Palestinian-origin students residing in Arab countries such as Jordan and Kuwait, had undergone sabotage training in foreign countries. Shabak alleges that these individuals confessed to the existence of terrorist plans during interrogations. General Moshe Ya'alon, Israel's Defense Minister, stated in recent days that Hamas's office in Istanbul has become the main center for planning terrorist operations against Israel. While Israel claims that with the departure of Hamas leaders from Syria, Turkey has turned into a country for planning terrorist activities against Israel in recent years, Turkey has denied these accusations. The newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Friday, December 7, citing 'a senior Turkish diplomat,' that the country has not allowed Istanbul to become the headquarters of Hamas. Meanwhile, an Israeli court issued an indictment on Thursday, December 6, against three Palestinians for attempting to assassinate Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's Foreign Minister. The indictment states that these three Palestinians gathered information regarding the movement of the vehicle carrying Lieberman to carry out their mission. The indictment states that the leader of this Hamas group, named 'Ibrahim Salim Mahmoud Zair' from the village of 'Harmala' in the West Bank, attempted to procure RPG missiles to shoot at the Israeli Foreign Minister's vehicle. Israel claims that the assassination attempt on Lieberman was supposed to take place during last summer's war of the Israeli army in Gaza, while Lieberman was returning daily from the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem to his home in one of the Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, stated on November 30 that Lieberman and other Israeli officials are responsible for the killing of Palestinian children and women, and therefore are considered a 'legitimate target' for 'resistance' forces. The attack by two Palestinian cousins on a synagogue in western Jerusalem on November 27 has heightened concerns about these chain attacks turning into a widespread Palestinian uprising. In light of these concerns, the Israeli police command has ordered that right-wing activists, including representatives of right-wing parties in the Knesset, be denied access to the vicinity of the 'Noble Sanctuary.' In this context, at least four were killed following the attack by two Palestinians on a synagogue in Jerusalem. Israeli forces demolished the house of the Palestinian attacker. Palestine's request for a vote in the Security Council has been suspended.