Arrests of East Jerusalem Residents from the start of the confrontation until the end of 2007

From 2001 and until the end of 2007, 270 East Jerusalem residents involved in terror attacks were
arrested.

2008 Data
From the beginning of 2008 and until 22 September, 104 East Jerusalem residents were arrested - for involvement in terror activity – in total 374 arrested from 2001.

Characteristics of the Terror Attacks in Jerusalem
The Jerusalem terrorists take advantage of their intimate knowledge of the area of the attack and their freedom of movement resulting from their status as residents of the city. Generally the attacks have been carried out by a lone perpetrator without any organizational involvement, or by a local infrastructure. They are mainly attacks by shooting, using vehicles to run people over, stabbing and assault.

Significant recent attacks (until 22 September, 2008)
In 2008, the most serious terror attacks carried out in Jerusalem by East Jerusalem residents were:

• Vehicle attack in Zahal Square (22 September) using a private car (BMW) driven by an unlicensed driver, Qassem Maghrabi, a resident of Jabel Mukabber whose family members are known as Hamas activists. As a result of the attack, 18 Israeli citizens, mainly soldiers, were injured, 2 seriously.
• Vehicle attack on Mapo St. using a tractor, driven by Ghassan Abu Tir, a resident of Umm Tuba. In this attack an Israeli citizen was seriously injured and 22 lightly injured.
• Shooting attack in the Old City (11 July) near the Lion's Gate. A border guard policeman was killed and another injured. This attack was perpetrated by an infrastructure, most of whose members are residents of north Jerusalem and hold Israeli identity cards.
• Vehicle attack in Jaffa St. (2 July) using a tractor, carried out by Husam Dwayat, a resident of Sur Baher. In this attack, 3 Israelis were killed and 42 injured, among them 2 moderately seriously.
• Stabbing attack (18 March) in the Old City, next to the Damascus Gate. An Israeli Citizen injured.
• Shooting/suicide attack (6 March) at the "Mercaz Ha-Rav" Seminary, carried out by Ala' Abu Dahim, a resident of Jabel Mukabber. In this attack, 8 Israelis were killed and another 12 injured.
• Shooting attack (24 January) at Ras Khamis Checkpoint (next to Shua'fat refugee camp). A border guard policeman was killed and a policewoman seriously injured.

The shooting terror attack that was committed in 2007 (26 May) at the Sheikh Sa'ad Checkpoint (next to Jabel Mukabber) must also be noted. A citizen and a border guard policeman were injured. The terrorists, both residents of Jabel Mukabber, were shot and killed during the terror attack.

"Portrait" of the East Jerusalem Terrorist
In the past, East Jerusalem residents were used as support units in carrying out terror attacks, usually under the direction of outside infra structure (from Gaza Strip, Judah and Samaria). East Jerusalem residents were used by the Palestinian terror, exploiting their advantages in holding Israeli identity cards, their freedom of movement and ability to access all places, as well as their knowledge of the area and population. Therefore, the East Jerusalem residents were used for support and help, who dealt with gathering information for the planning of terror attacks, in acquiring arms and materials not sold in Judah and Samaria, and for taking terrorists to the locations of the terror attacks.

Recently, this has changed and we see East Jerusalem terrorists or independent terrorist

Infrastructures from East Jerusalem, organized on a local basis, and who initiate and carry out terror attacks without any external direction. In regard to the characteristics of the perpetrators of the recent terror attacks in Jerusalem: the perpetrators of the vehicle terror attacks and also the terror attack at the "Mercaz ha-Rav" Seminary were all residents of south Jerusalem (Jabel Mukabber, Umm Tuba) and did not belong to any organization or have any previous involvement in terror. Some of them were motivated – alongside the nationalistic aspiration – by personal motivations, which drove them into committing the terror attacks. The perpetrators of the "tractor" attacks and the "Mercaz ha-Rav" Seminary attack were characterized also by criminal backgrounds.

Ways to Deal with the New Threat
Deterrent steps need to be increased so as to deal with this new threat, including the destruction of the terrorists' houses and the strengthening of sanctions against the families of the terrorists.
The Israeli security presence in East Jerusalem needs to be strengthened and the law needs to be fully enforced in criminal offenses involving the trading and possession of arms. These steps are to be taken alongside the development of administrative tools, for example, indictment for the intention to commit a terror attack (even before concrete preparations).