July 20, 2016, IDF forces apprehended two suspects attempting to smuggle five M-16 rifles and 20 handguns across the Israel-Jordan border. The two suspects, Palestinians from Judea and Samaria, are under investigation. This is the first weapons interception by the Lions of the Jordan Valley, a co-ed battalion established in 2015, which is responsible for protecting Israel’s border with Jordan.
“The guns were headed to weapons dealers in Judea and Samaria,” said the commander of the battalion, Lt. Col. Yossi Benson. “If they had succeeded in smuggling the weapons across the border, they would have used the same route multiple times.”
Weapons Seized
‘The guns were headed to weapons dealers in Judea and Samaria,’ said the commander of
the battalion, Lt. Col. Yossi Benson. ‘If they had succeeded in smuggling the weapons across the border, they would have used the same route multiple times.’
BackGrounder
As Palestinians are turning more to improvised guns as their weapon of choice and leaving the knife as a last resort, Israeli forces are committed to removing the root causes of the threat. On July 10, 2016, Israeli security forces seized weapons manufacturing facilities and machines. 4 were arrested out of Nablus for their involvement in weapons manufacturing and distribution.
The following were the individuals arrested:
- Assem Najah Sharif Tzfadi, born in 1977, resident of Urif, active in the Palestinian Authority security services (General Intelligence)
- Ali Najah Sharif Tzfadi, born in 1975, resident of Urif, active in the Palestinian Authority security services (General Intelligence)
- Saadi Najah Sharif Tzfadi, born in 1975, resident of Urif
- Najah Assad Najah Tzfadi, born in 1992, resident of Urif
The improvised weapons were traded within Judea and Samaria and included “Carlo” submachine guns, improvised M-16s, and improvised Uzis. Trends throughout the wave of terror indicate an increased use of improvised weapons
Transition from “Knife Intifada” to “Carl Gustav Intifada”
- Icon of “intifada” is now the Carl Gustav weapon
- 65% of Palestinians in the West Bank supported the suicide bombing in Jerusalem on April 18th
- Wide-scale support for raising the level of violence from knives and stones to shootings and bombings
Hamas social media accounts were quick to take responsibility for the attack and vowed to carry out more during the month-long holiday of Ramadan
Hamas Twitter account praises the attack and deems it a “heroic” act
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