Palestinian Car-Rammers Strike in Israel

Latest Developments

Two Palestinian men carried out multiple car-ramming attacks in Israel on January 15, killing one woman and injuring at least 17 others. The incidents in Ra’anana, north of Tel Aviv, came as Israel’s government debated easing a ban on Palestinian laborers from the West Bank that Israel imposed after Hamas’s cross-border rampage on October 7.

The terrorists entered Israel illegally then stole cars in Ra’anana and mowed down pedestrians, including children. The two men, who were both arrested, are members of the same family from the West Bank city of Hebron — a Hamas stronghold. Without immediately taking credit for the attack, Hamas welcomed it as a sign that the multi-front war on Israel launched from Gaza is expanding.

Expert Analysis

“Terrorism has been surging in the West Bank in parallel to the war and will increasingly seep into Israeli cities as Hamas feels its Gaza fiefdom diminishing. That presents Israeli leaders with a terrible dilemma, as they recognize that economic stabilization of the West Bank will go some way toward stemming such murderous radicalism, but also that hastening to re-admit Palestinians under work permits and for other purposes means increased vulnerability to actual murderers.” — Mark Dubowitz, FDD CEO

“Palestinian terrorist organizations have increasingly been inciting violence in the West Bank for over two and a half years. While not all terrorist attacks are directly committed by these groups, their influence undeniably serves as a catalyst, inspiring and motivating Palestinians to carry out acts of terrorism against Israeli civilians.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal

West Bank Terrorists Continue Attacks as War Rages in Gaza

While Israel and Hamas fight in Gaza, Palestinian terrorist groups from the West Bank have increasingly conducted attacks on civilians and Israeli security forces. On January 7, Palestinian terrorists killed an Israeli policewoman supporting a security operation in the West Bank city of Jenin. The 19-year-old Israel Border Police conscript Sgt. Shay Germay died after her vehicle hit an explosive device. The attack, claimed by the Jenin Brigades of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, also wounded three Israeli police officers. During evacuation of the Israeli casualties, an Israeli attack helicopter fired on approaching terrorists throwing explosives. Israeli and Palestinian sources confirmed at least six fatalities from the Israeli air strike. Sgt. Germay’s death marks the 60th Israeli police officer killed since the Gaza war began.

Hours later in the West Bank, Amar Mansour, a motorist with Israeli license plates driving near Ramallah, died from a drive-by shooting. The victim was a member of Israel’s Arab minority who lived in East Jerusalem, which may explain why no Palestinian terrorist group immediately took credit. The Israel Defense Forces called the event a terror attack.

Related Analysis

“Palestinian Terrorists Kill Israeli Policewoman in West Bank City,” FDD Flash Brief

“Palestinian Terrorists Storm Israeli Checkpoint Near Jerusalem,” FDD Flash Brief

“Terrorist Murders Israeli Policewoman in Jerusalem Who Immigrated from U.S.,” FDD Flash Brief