6 arrested for stabbing during Pillar of Defense

Fatah allegedly planned stabbing of Beersheba man; attack carried out by Beduin-Israelis from the Negev, Palestinians from Hebron.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
arrest 311 R (photo credit: REUTERS/Eric Gaillard )
arrest 311 R
(photo credit: REUTERS/Eric Gaillard )
Security forces arrested six terror suspects last month on suspicion of carrying out a stabbing attack on a student in Beersheba during the eight-day conflict with Hamas in Gaza, the IDF announced on Thursday.
The suspects are Beduin from the Negev and Palestinians from Hebron. Fatah’s Al- Aksa Martyrs Brigades in the West Bank played a central part in organizing the attack, investigators said.
During the November 19 attack, a student was stabbed in the shoulder as he jogged near Ben-Gurion University in the southern city. He was moderately wounded.
The investigation was launched by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), the Israel Police and the IDF.
Security forces named Abdullah Samhan, 23, from Dhahiriya, near Hebron, as the main stabbing suspect.
Baha’a Samamra, 21, also from Dhahiriya, was with Samhan during the attack, according to security forces.
The attack was allegedly organized by Ahmed Abu Ali, 37, from Yatta, also near Hebron.
The Aksa Martyrs Brigades recruited Muhammad Jamil Abu Kwider, 26, from Tel Sheva, near Beersheba, to join the terrorist cell, while Ataf Abu Kwider, also from Tel Sheva, helped the attackers, providing them room and board after the stabbing.
A 17-year-old Israeli Beduin was also arrested for being with the perpetrators during the attack.
“In the course of their investigation, two of the Arab-Israeli suspects, Muhammad Abu Kwider and the 17- year-old minor, confessed to being recruited by residents of the Mount Hebron area for attacks by the Aksa Martyrs Brigades, Fatah’s military wing,” the Shin Bet said.
The pair had also plotted to carry out bomb and shooting attacks against targets in Israel, attack settlers in the Hebron area, and kidnap a soldier.
Three suspects have been charged so far, and the remainder will be charged in the coming days. The charges include attempted murder, assisting the enemy, membership and activity in an illegal organization, aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit a crime, illegal military training, and illicit weapons trading.