Part One of Two Parts
Smuggling terrorists into Israeli territory using medical documentation
The demilitarized zone in the Gaza Strip, the security inspections and the interdiction activities of the security forces all create significant obstacles for terrorist organizations trying to smuggle terrorists into Israel.
In recent years there has been an increase in attempts by Palestinian terrorist organizations to overcome these obstacles by smuggling terrorists and terror organization members through the existing crossing points into Israel under the pretence of being patients seeking medical treatment. This is an abuse of Israel's humanitarian policy of rendering medical attention to all who need it.
These attempts have three main features:
1. Location and recruitment of Palestinians who require genuine medical treatment, some of whom are recruited after receiving an entry permit to Israel and have proved to terrorist organizations that they can enter the State of Israel legally. Others obtain the entry permits with the assistance of terrorist organizations.
2. Forgery of medical certificates or receiving genuine medical certificates by fraud or bribery. Terrorist organizations use their connections with members of the Palestinian establishment such as doctors and hospital administrative workers, who issue these certificates either under threat by terrorist organizations or in exchange for bribes. They use other methods as well.
3. Exploitation of visitation permits in Israel issued to relatives of patients hospitalized in Israeli hospitals.
The activity of the security forces to interdict these attempts has prevented many terrorist activities and severe terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings in Israel, deadly shooting at Israelis and placement of lethal explosive charges. In addition, security forces have prevented attempts to smuggle explosive experts from the Gaza Strip under medical pretenses to enhance the capabilities of terrorist organizations in Judea and Samaria and the establishment of new terrorist squads.
In recent years there has been an increase in attempts to smuggle female suicide bombers under the guise of medical reasons, on the assumption that they will be given entry permits more easily and will be able to enter Israel without arousing suspicion.
Prominent examples of using medical certificates for smuggling terrorists into Israel
May '07 – The arrest of two female suicide bombers at the Erez crossing who received an authentic entry permit into Israel using false medical information. They planned to carry out a double suicide bombing in Tel Aviv and in Netanya.
Fatma Zak, 39, a Gaza resident and pregnant mother of eight, together with her niece Ruda Haviv, 30, also a Gaza resident and mother of four, were apprehended on May 30, 2007 at the Erez crossing. Under questioning by the Israeli Security Agency, they confessed to planning to carry out a double suicide bombing in Tel Aviv and in Netanya under the guidance of the Gaza-based Islamic Jihad. They planned on executing these suicide bombings in a restaurant, a celebration hall or in the vicinity of large numbers of soldiers.
For the purpose of entering Israel, one of the Islamic Jihad members acquired genuine medical certificates based on false medical information allowing Haviv to have a medical examination in a hospital located in Ramallah, accompanied by Zak. Furthermore, the Islamic Jihad operative instructed the two to actually undergo the medical examination at the hospital to authenticate their cover story. After completion of the examination, the two were supposed to inform the Islamic Jihad operatives in the Gaza Strip of their whereabouts and they, in turn, promised them that in a short while an operative would bring them explosive belts and take them to the attack sites.
Some time before the two left for Israel they underwent training on how to use explosive belts and Zak even had training on the use of an AK-47 assault rifle. Zak and Haviv were briefed by their dispatchers on the clothing they should wear on the day of the attack so as not to arouse suspicion as they approached the targets.
September 2006 – The arrest of a member of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) at the Erez crossing who had received an entry permit into Israel on humanitarian grounds. He received the permit due to medical problems and planned to use it to establish terrorist cells in the West Bank.
Jaber Hasan Jaber Darabiye, a Gaza resident born in 1963, confessed under questioning by the Israeli Security Agency that he was recruited in 2006 to the Popular Resistance Committees and was supposed to establish terrorist cells in the West Bank for the purpose of committing terrorist attacks against the State of Israel.
To carry out this plan, the Popular Resistance Committees operatives took advantage of Darabiye's medical problems to acquire a genuine entry permit for medical treatment in Israel, which would allow him to go to the West Bank and carry out his mission.
To do so, Darabiye applied for documentation attesting to his medical condition so he could receive entry permits for medical treatment in Israel. He was apprehended on arrival at the Erez crossing on September 28, 2006.
June 2005 – A female suicide bomber who was supposed to enter Israel for medical examinations was arrested at the Erez crossing with an explosive belt strapped to her body.
On June 20, 2005 Wafa Samir Ibrahim Bass, a 21-year-old resident of Jebaliah, was apprehended at the Erez crossing with an explosive belt strapped to her body. During the security inspection, Wafa aroused suspicion and responded by trying to activate the explosive belt she was wearing. Under questioning, she testified that she had been sent by the Fatach/El-Aqsa infrastructure in the northern Gaza Strip, using the medical treatment permit that was issued to her. Wafa was scheduled to go to the Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheba for a follow-up examination – she had been hospitalized there in the past (December '04 - January '05) for treatment of severe burns on her body caused by the explosion of a gas cylinder. She was instructed by the organization to carry out the suicide bombing in a crowded area inside an Israeli hospital.
March 2005 – The arrest of a Hamas member, resident of the Gaza Strip, who planned on carrying out a suicide bombing in Israel after his arrival in the West Bank under the pretence of being a potential kidney donor Muhammed Subahi abd el-Me'ati Bahisi, 26, a HAMAS member and resident of Dir el Balah, testified during his interrogation that he left the Gaza Strip by virtue of a medical procedure that was initiated on behalf of his friend, an Israeli Arab to whom he was willing to donate a kidney. On the basis of Bahisi's request to check his compatibility for kidney donation as well as the fact that he was registered as a resident of the West Bank, the prohibition on his leaving the Gaza Strip was lifted. It was written that he could leave for medical tests using a one-day exit permit, accompanied by security or in an ambulance. On March 7, 2005 Bahisi left the Gaza Strip for Kalandia using a travel permit allowing him to enter the West Bank due to medical needs and based upon the fact that he is registered as a Kalandia resident in his identification card.
Under questioning, Bahisi testified that a day before his departure, when he received a permit to enter the West Bank and not only a single-entry permit for medical tests at the hospital, he notified Hamas operatives in Gaza about the permit which he had received.
The Hamas operatives instructed him to contact them approximately four months after his arrival in the West Bank and after he had arranged a place to stay without arousing suspicion. After that, they would send him an explosive belt to carry out a suicide bombing.
December 2004 – The arrest of a Hamas member who entered Israel through the Erez crossing using medical documents with the objective of carrying out a suicide bombing
On December 20, 2005, Hamad abed el-Karim Hamad Abu-Lihiya a resident of the Jebaliya refugee camp born in 1981, was apprehended in Baqa el Gharbiya. Abu-Lihiya was recruited as a terrorist by Hamas and smuggled into Israel for the sole purpose of perpetrating a suicide bombing in Israel.
Under questioning, Abu-Lihiya confessed that he was smuggled into Israel through the Erez crossing in August 2004, on the pretence of humanitarian grounds, as a "sleeper" terrorist on behalf of Hamas. He used documents alleging that he had cancer and required medical treatment in a hospital in the center of the country. The initial plan was to have another terrorist join him, and the two were supposed to receive weapons from collaborators inside Israel to be used for a terrorist attack.
December 2004 – The arrest of two terrorists of the El Aqsa Martyrs Brigades who planned on entering Israel through the 'khet' route after passing through Egypt under pretence of medical needs
In December 2004 Hasan Ahmed Ali Toum and Muhamed Diab Namer Jaarur were apprehended by the Israeli Security Agency. They are two terrorists from the Gaza Strip who belong to the El Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and who tried to enter Israel to carry out attacks on Israeli citizens.
Hasan Toum went to Egypt after presenting documents certifying that he was to undergo medical treatment there. Toum was apprehended on December 12 following a chase which developed after he entered the Negev area from Egypt. During his questioning it became evident that his objective in entering Israel was to murder an Israeli citizen and bury his body, thus enabling Fatah members in the Gaza Strip to conduct negotiations with Israel for the release of prisoners. Furthermore, it became evident that Toum was planning to damage the railroad tracks in the Natanya area using explosive charges that he was supposed to get from the Fatah infrastructure in Judea and Samaria. Approximately a week before Toum's arrest, Muhamed Jaarur was apprehended at the Rafah crossing while attempting to leave Egypt. Under questioning, Jaarur admitted that he was supposed to leave for Egypt to join forces with Hasan Toum and from there to sneak into Israel to carry out terrorist attacks.
September 2004 – The arrest of a female terrorist sent by the El Aqsa Martyrs Brigades infrastructure in the Gaza Strip to carry out a suicide bombing in Israel, after she required medical treatment in an Israeli hospital
Suhad Fuzi Namar Aslan, 35, single and a resident of the Maghazi refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, was burnt during her childhood from a gas cylinder explosion.
Under questioning, Aslan said that Uda Mahmud Uda Abu Samra, an El Aqsa Martyrs Brigades member, planned to send her for plastic surgery at Al-Muqaddas hospital in Jerusalem and to take advantage of her medical condition by placing an explosive belt under her bandages and dispatching her to carry out a suicide bombing in Jerusalem. Abu Samra instructed Aslan to present a medical document from Al-Muqaddas hospital which confirmed that she had an appointment for a medical examination at the hospital, so she could arrange an entry permit to Israel. Aslan acquired the requested document and, after her entry was denied, she obtained a written medical report in English regarding her medical condition. After being denied entry for the second time by the Erez DCO (District Coordination Office), Aslan obtained an appointment to the hospital. Roughly one month after their initial attempts to receive an entry permit to Israel based upon her medical condition, Aslan received the awaited document.
Aslan left the Gaza Strip in August to undergo surgery in the Al-Muqaddas hospital in Jerusalem. She was operated on and hospitalized till September 9. She then stayed in the hospital an additional five days as per Abu Samra's instructions. Aslan was to wait at the hospital until someone sent by Abu Samra would meet her and drive her to the site of the intended attack. Aslan was apprehended by security forces before she managed to carry out their plans.
August 2004 – The arrest of an El Aqsa Martyrs Brigade member who was about to leave for Egypt and from there enter Israel to carry out attacks. He used forged medical documents which alleged he suffered from testicular cancer, when in fact he was perfectly healthy.
Nabil Maher Halil Misri, a 22-year-old bachelor and resident of the Jebaliya refugee camp, confessed during questioning that, together with another El Aqsa Martyrs Brigades member, Salem abd el-Rahman Salem Tabt, he planned to enter Israel using forged medical documents, when in fact he was perfectly healthy, for the purpose of carrying out terrorist attacks.
Misri said that at first, Tabt planned that he would go through the Erez crossing using a request for medical treatment in Israel. Although in fact Misri was completely healthy, Tabt managed to acquire documents stating that he suffered from testicular cancer. Furthermore, Misri said that Tabt used doctors for this purpose, bribing or threatening them to issue the medical documents. A short time before arriving at the Erez crossing, Misri was supposed to take a pill that would make it appear to the people in the vicinity that he required urgent medical attention and in this way he would receive permission to go to Tel Hashomer hospital. Misri was supposed to study the details of his illness and its side effects so that he could authenticate the cover story and pass the inquiry by the security forces in case he was questioned at the Erez crossing. As Misri approached Tel Hashomer hospital, he was to inform Tabt and wait for some young men to pick him up in order to carry out the terrorist attack. Tabt told Misri he succeeded in smuggling a Galil SAR rifle from the Gaza Strip to Israel, and that he should disguise himself as a soldier with a short haircut and a typical Israeli appearance and attack a Tel Aviv clubhouse.
When questioned, Misri said that after Tabt tried several times to submit the request for Misri's treatment at Tel Hashomer hospital and was denied, they decided to try a different approach.
After the failure of their plan to transfer Misri into Israel through the Erez crossing using medical documents, Tabt decided to try to get him to Egypt using these same documents and from there to smuggle him back into Israel through the Sinai, to carry out a terrorist attack. To do so, Misri had to renew his medical documents. Hayeiri abd el-Karim Muhamed Sisi, who was apprehended with Misri, was also supposed to go to Egypt using medical treatment as a cover story. During his questioning, Misri elaborated that he was instructed to wait for Hayeiri after reaching the Egyptian side of the border, and that he would bring him to an apartment in Israel and dispatch him to carry out the terrorist attack.
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