An Israeli commando on lookout in Jenin last night

IDF Arrests Islamic Jihad Leader's Son In Jenin As Clampdown Continues

Details
The Judean Staff
National

The Israeli security forces arrested the son of the leader of the Islamic Jihad militant group Bassem Al-Saadi, whose arrest last August led to tensions with the Gaza Strip. At the same time, during an exchange of fire with Palestinian militants in the Dheisheh refugee camp, near Bethlehem, the terrorist Amar Mena was killed and 3 wanted people from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terrorist organization were arrested.

Yahya Al-Saadi, the son of the Islamic Jihad leader was arrested in the early hours of the morning in the Jenin refugee camp by a force from the Israel Defense Forces “Duvedevan” unit (literally: "Cherry"). Al-Saadi is considered a key operative within the terrorist organization and the one responsible for all Islamic Jihad activities in the city of Jenin.

The arrest of his father in August led to the opening of bomb shelters in the surrounding parts of the Gaza Strip. The situation came to an end after the IDF eliminated senior Jihadists within Gaza. Al-Saadi senior, 61 years old, was in Israeli prison no less than 7 times due to extensive terrorist activity over the years. He served as the head of the terrorist organization in Samaria and worked even harder to restore its military abilities, especially in the Jenin area. 

Al-Saadi senior was arrested alive and he was taken in for a Shin Bet investigation. The arrest, part of which was recorded on security cameras and published by Palestinian media outlets, resulted in heightened tensions as part of the preparation for a possible response by the Islamic Jihad.

The IDF, the Security Forces, and the internal federal investigative unit known as 'The Shin Bet' arrested a total of 14 wanted persons in Judea and Samaria Sunday night. The IDF reported that the forces held operations in the villages of Hussan, Deir Istia, Al Bira, and the Jilzon refugee camp, among others. During an operation in the Jenin refugee camp, gunmen fired at the IDF soldiers, who returned fire and detected hits. 

The IDF further reported that during the arrest of the three PFLP militants near Bethlehem,  other unidentified suspects threw stones, along with Molotov cocktails and explosives at the soldiers who responded by firing shots, and a few hits were recorded as well. Security officials are assuming that the arrest of Al-Saadi junior will cause some sort of reaction from Jihadists within Judea and Samaria, causing more unrest that has yet to die down since this past August.

Israel has seen a steep increase in terror activities coming from the lawless cities of Nablus & Jenin. When Jewish worshipers visit Joseph's Tomb near Nablus they have increasingly come under fire. Palestinian rioters have destroyed the shrine that is believed to be the final resting place of Jacob's second to youngest son who was famously sold by his brothers to traders and wound up an Egyptian official. Jenin lies at the northernmost part of Samaria and the attacks from the city have become so frequent, the IDF is building a wall around the city perimeter to protect against future incursions by militants trying to enter Israel.

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