Two Arab-Israelis arrested on charges of planning Hamas terror attacks

According to the investigation, one of the suspects purchased materials to make firebombs and ‘conducted tests’ to produce explosive charges with the intent to attack a bus transporting Israeli troops.

By Akiva Van Koningsveld, JNS

Two Arab Israelis have been arrested on suspicion of planning a series of terrorist attacks against security forces and civilians, the Israel Police and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) revealed in a statement on Thursday.

The suspects, aged 18 and 21, from the towns of Qalansawe and Zemer in central Israel, expressed support for the Hamas terror group following its Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, according to the statement.

The two had planned several attacks, including “a shooting at a military facility and a combined ramming and shooting attack targeting IDF soldiers or civilians,” it continued.

According to the investigation, one of the suspects purchased materials to make fire bombs and “conducted tests” to produce explosive charges with the intent to attack a bus transporting Israeli troops.

Following the arrests, a court extended the suspects’ detention. Charges were set to be filed against them on Thursday.

In November, two minors from Israel’s “triangle region” were indicted on charges of conspiring to carry out terrorist acts against security forces.

The triangle region contains 11 Arab Israeli communities adjacent to the Green Line and the Samaria security barrier, including Qalansawe and Zemer, and is home to approximately 250,000 people.

According to the indictment, one of the minors was recruited to a terror cell in August 2023. He allegedly received training in explosives and subsequently acquired chemical materials to conduct experiments.

He then recruited three additional members, including the second minor in the indictment. The pair allegedly worked in collaboration with others, attempted to make bombs and demonstrated an intent to cause harm.

Since the start of the Iron Swords war 16 months ago, there has been growing radicalization among some segments of the country’s Arab population.

A poll conducted in December 2023 by the Israel Democracy Institute’s Center for Democratic Values and Institutions discovered that one-third of Israel’s Arabs disagree with the statement that the Oct. 7 attack “does not reflect Arab society, the Palestinian people and the Islamic nation.”

According to a June poll, some 14.7% of Arab Israelis believe Hamas should govern Gaza after the war. That number represents some 308,700 Israeli citizens out of an Arab Israeli population of around 2.1 million.