The two aided and abetted a top operative in the Tulkarm Brigade terrorist group, with one attempting to participate in the attack.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
Two Arab-Israelis, citizens of Israel, were indicted on Friday for their role in a stabbing attack on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem during Ramadan last year.
The Haifa District Attorney’s Office indicted Israeli citizens Nur Shabat, a resident of the village of Nahf, and Amir Kiwan, a resident of Deir al-Asad, for terrorist activity.
The two aided and abetted a top operative in the Tulkarm Brigade terrorist group and Shabat attempted to participate in the attack.
Shabat also approached terrorist groups in Judea and Samaria in an attempt to perpetrate attacks against Jews.
Shabat asked Kiwan to assist him with travel arrangements to facilitate his terrorist activity.
While visiting the Temple Mount during Ramadan, the two hatched a plan to attack security personnel.
A combined effort of the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) and the Israel Police led to their arrest and investigation of their involvement in terrorism.
In a statement, the Shin Bet and Police said, “We take any involvement of Israeli citizens in actions that threaten the security of the state and its people very seriously, and we remain committed to preventing terrorist activity and ensuring those responsible are brought to justice.”
According to a statement by the two security organizations, in April 2023 the two organizations thwarted a shooting attack planned against police officers in Jerusalem.
The suspect in that attack was a student in Ramallah who began to communicate via Facebook with a terrorist operative from Lebanon. Later, they switched to chatting on Telegram.
At a certain point, he was instructed to carry out a shooting or bomb attack when he would have received financial aid for this purpose through additional operatives from Judea and Samaria.
In 2022, a Palestinian who tried to stab an Israeli police officer near the Temple Mount was shot and wounded.
The incident occurred at the Cotton Merchants Gate on the western side of the Temple Mount. The suspect yelled “Allahu Akbar” while lunging at an officer.
The officers responded by opening fire on the suspect.