Contrary to the popular public narrative in recent days, the IDF believes that Hamas in general and its leader Yahya Sinwar, in particular, have been riding on the coattails of the current terror wave rather than directing it.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
IDF officials presented their view on Monday in a situational assessment briefing with the political echelon.
The two terrorists who carried out the deadly shooting attack in Elad last week, according to the IDF, said in their interrogation that they were not members of Hamas and had not been directed by the Gaza-based terrorist organization. In the IDF's view, the current terror wave is characterized by lone-wolf attackers motivated by religion and the Temple Mount issue. According to the IDF's assessment of the situation and intelligence information, Hamas is deterred, to a considerable degree even, and the security situation in Gaza was "good."
With that, however, every terrorist attack is considered an operational failure by the army, as stated by Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi as well. The IDF has therefore decided to continue bolstering its efforts and forces deployed to the seam zone, or seam line – which refers to areas east of the Green Line and west of the Jerusalem-adjacent security fence.
The army wants to amplify the sense of "border consciousness" in the area among undocumented Palestinians trying to cross into Israel illegally, as well as among those who transport them. The IDF stressed that shooting or killing such individuals was not a part of its intentions, and expressed remorse on Monday over an incident in which an undocumented Palestinian man was shot and killed by an IDF soldier while trying to cross the seamline. In other words, the army wants to create a situation whereby the security barrier between Israel and the territories is a border that no one crosses without permission. Currently, an unprecedented 26 battalions are operating in the seam zone and in Judea and Samaria.
At the same time, the army said in its situational assessment briefing with the political echelon that its intention was to continue trying to calm the flames on the Temple Mount.
In that context, Public Security Minister Omer Barlev and the Israel Police have agreed to Jordan's demand to increase the power of the Waqf religious council on the Temple Mount, public broadcaster Kan News reported.
Jordan had demanded an additional 50 Waqf members to monitor activities on the Temple Mount – home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound that was the scene of recent clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian rioters.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
The move could have important implications for Israel's coalition government teetering on the brink of collapse.
The Islamist Ra'am party led by MK Mansour Abbas froze its participation in the government on April 17, citing the violence on the Temple Mount. One of the demands for its return to membership in the coalition is for Israel to accept Jordan's demands regarding the holy site.
According to the Kan report, Barlev agreed to the Waqf expansion on the condition that Waqf members who support Hamas be removed from the compound.
i24NEWS contributed to this report.
