Background
Since 2009 terrorism continues to be conducted by Palestinians from Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem, against Israeli civilians and security personnel in various patterns. Among them: shooting, explosive charges, stabbing and running-over attacks.

In the mean time, a high level of alert is maintained regarding the thwarting of various factions' military-squads (such as Hamas, PIJ, etc.), whose members are planning to carry out shooting, explosive charges, kidnapping, as well as suicide attacks.

Among the perpetrators of attacks who were either executed or thwarted are students affiliated with different organizations, who are operating within universities across Judea and Samaria.

Student's involvement in terror
Following are several examples in recent year regarding terror-involvement of Palestinian students studying in various universities in Judea and Samaria, who are predominantly affiliated with student-cells of terror organizations:

• Amir Hotari, born in 1985, resident of Haja, Qalqilya, a Hamas activist, a student in the Al Najah University in Nablus, and has been detained for interrogation in April 2009. In his interrogation by the ISA he admitted to having operated as part of a military squad, which had executed explosive charges attacks and engaged in their production. Hotari disclosed that he was recruited in 2004 to the Kutla Al Islammiya in the university (a Hamas student-cell active in academic institutions in the Territories). In 2005 he formed together with his friends a military cell that was engaged in producing explosive charges. They executed a roadside bomb attack nearby his village. He had also admitted to planning (in 2005) with a friend an attack in Tel Aviv and a suicide attack in Israel.

• Mougahed Talatin, born in 1987, resident of Lubad village in Tul Karm, a student in the Open University in Tul Karm, has been detained for interrogation on April 1, 2009. In his interrogation by the ISA he admitted to having been recruited to the Jamàa Al Islammiya, the PIJ student-cell in the Al-Quds Open University. Following his recruitment, Talatin contacted weapon-dealers through the internet, provided assistance to the organization's fugitives, and contacted the PIJ headquarters in order to raise funds for rehabilitation of the military activity in Tul Karm. He also participated in recruiting operatives, organizing gatherings, hanging banners and distributing leaflets.

• Ahmad Kashmar and Abd El Latif Milhem, born in 1987 in Qalqilya, students in the Open University of Qalqilya, detained in April 2009. Kashmar admitted he has been recruited in 2004 to the PFLP's high-school committee, and in 2007 has joined the PFLP's student-cell in the Open University of Qalqilya. He participated in protests and distributed PIJ leaflets and letters to students. Kashmar claimed he had established together with Milhem, a military cell striving to recruit activists, planned to produce explosive charges and carried out attacks against IDF forces. In his interrogation he has also disclosed that four years prior to his arrest, he and a friend placed an explosive charge against IDF forces near the security fence, as well as traded in weapons.

• Salem Sultan, born in 1986, resident of Hebron, a student of electronics in the Hebron Polytechnic, detained in February 2009, a military-Hamas activist, considered an explosives expert. In his interrogation he admitted to dealing with explosives production such as Bangalore-torpedoes, conducting tests with explosive-charges for attack-purposes, and addressing other operatives in order to recruit them for shooting and placing explosive-charges. As part of his interrogation, 35kg of raw-materials for producing explosives were seized.

• Iyas Ghuri (born in 1984, Nablus), Ali Shtaya (born in 1985, Salem), Fauzi Kakoura (born in 1986, Tul Karm), and Hindawi Kawarik (born in 1989, Awarta), students in the Al Najah University in Nablus, members of a PFLP military cell in the Nablus area. They were arrested in February 2009 and admitted to planning shooting and explosive charges attacks, including a plan to assassinate a military judge who judged their PFLP's leader, Ahmad Saadat. Ali Shtaya also admitted to shooting and participating in placing explosive charges. He further disclosed that the squad anticipated a Hizballa handler's funding for planned attacks.

• Rafat Sharabati (born in 1985, Hebron), Yusef Hamad (born in 1988, Halhul), Israa Amarna (born in 1985, Bethlehem). All are students from Hebron and Bethlehem, members of Hamas military layout detained in late of 2008 –beginning of 2009 after planning to execute attacks against security forces. Sharabati, a Polytechnic student in Hebron, active in a Hamas student-cell (Kutla Al Islammiya), disclosed in his interrogation having ties with Hamas activists in Hebron, and trained by them in explosives production; He also admitted to financing military activity and having been directed to recruit new activists. The cell member Israa Amarna has also expressed her willingness to commit a suicide attack. Upon their arrest, the cell-members were in advanced stages of purchasing explosives and renting an apartment to be used as a lab.

• Gaser Wahdan, (born in 1988, a resident of Anabta), a PIJ activist, a student in the Kaduri College in Tul Karm, detained in February 2009. Wahdan admitted in his interrogation for having been recruited in the end of 2006 to the Jamàa Al Islammiya, a PIJ student-cell in the Kaduri College. He assisted senior terror activist in his village (Anabta), and threw Molotov cocktails at IDF troops.

• Ahmad Harami, (born in 1990, resident of Jayus/Qalqilya), a student at the Open University Preparatory course in Tul Karm. He was detained in February 2009 for participating in violent riots, where he threw stones towards Israeli security forces.

• Sari Kadah, (born in 1986, a Shukba resident/ Ramalla area). A student in the Bir Zeit University, a Hamas activist and member of its student-cell (the Kutla Al Islammiya), detained in January 2009, and admitted involvement in detonating explosive charges against a military jeep (no casualties), as well as planning a sniping attack, while trying to purchase the appropriate weapons. He disclosed his interest in weapons and explosive charges' production, and planned to produce remote-control Bangalore-torpedoes as well as execute an explosive charge attack.

In addition to the above examples, we should also note Tayun Tayun, born in 1988, resident of Haja/Qalqilya. A student at the Abu Dis University, detained in May 2009 together with others (his brothers Ahmad Tayun and Amar Nawfal, Haja residents, and Nasim Gábiti, from Punduk/Qalqilia), for murdering Yakir resident, Dr. Daniel Yacobi, and burning his body in his car. Tayun murdered Yacobi who came to fix his car in his brother's garage in the village of Haja. The others helped him to load the body into the car trunk, drove it away, set it on fire and later covered up the whole incident.

Summary
University students are a convenient spotting pool for recruiting terror activists; having high qualifications, strong political awareness and thriving ideology, they spare no effort to achieve their goals. Universities in the Territories are thus acknowledged by Palestinian terror groups in Judea and Samaria, utilizing the student-cells for terrorist purposes. The potential risk of this group is high, due to their young age and their high motivation.