Uday Tamimi, the Palestinian terrorist who 11 days ago killed IDF soldier Stg. Noa Lazar, was killed Wednesday evening by civilian security guards at the entrance of the Ma'ale Adumim settlement while trying to perpetrate another attack.
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The guards' alertness and determination put an end to an extensive manhunt for Tamimi, highlighting the disturbing fact that the terrorist managed to set out on another attack while the entire security system was looking for him. As such, this is a matter that calls for quick conclusions to be drawn.
Experience shows that even if Tamimi had not arrived at Ma'ale Adumim armed, he would have eventually been located by the forces. Tamimi himself knew this. Throughout the 11 days, the IDF conducted an extensive manhunt and arrested and interrogated relatives and individuals suspected of having helped Tamimi. And yet, he somehow managed to evade the experienced intelligence agencies.
The security system always sets out with the intention that an armed terrorist who perpetrates an attack and manages to flee the scene if in danger and might carry out another attack. But since the terrorists know that the Israeli forces will spare no effort to capture them, they usually behave as wanted individuals, that is, hide, change locations, and focus on survival, which is what makes it difficult for them to perpetrate another attack.
This is why there are so few cases in which fugitive terrorists try and succeed in carrying out a second attack. As such, Tamimi's arrival at Ma'ale Adumim armed and planning to attack is a failure by the Shin Bet security agency and other forces that were in charge of capturing him.
But the Shin Bet is not the only one at fault. In the deadly attack in which Lazar was killed, forces that stood at the checkpoint did not act according to regulations.
During the attack, Tamimi managed to reach the checkpoint, shoot at the soldiers, and flee the scene without being hurt. Only after he fled did the fighters shoot at him, and only began pursuing him after the fact.
The security establishment estimates that Tamimi himself was surprised at the lack of reaction by the forces, and could not believe that he escaped with his life intact.
For eleven long days, the security system had no idea where Tamimi was, what prompted him to come out of hiding, and why he chose that particular day and Ma'ale Adumim to carry out another attack. With Tamimi dead, these details might forever remain unknown.
Bottom line, although Prime Minister Yair Lapid rushed to praise the security forces for eliminating Tamimi, the Shin Bet, Israel Police, and Border Police have failed, and the only ones that should be praised are the Ma'ale Adumim civilian security guards.
One can only hope that the security entities that were supposed to catch Tamimi will draw the necessary conclusions. The earlier the better.
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