PA COMPLAINS IDF KILLING OF PIJ ACTIVIST

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 002248 SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, IPA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/PASCUAL/RAMCHAND E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/16/2018 TAGS: KWBG IS PGOV PTER ASEC SUBJECT: PA COMPLAINS IDF KILLING OF PIJ ACTIVIST COMPLICATES EFFORTS TO DISARM MILITANTS Classified By: Acting Principal Officer Greg Marchese, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. According to PA National Security Forces (NSF) staff, an undercover IDF squad shot and killed a PIJ militant December 16 without giving the PA notice of the operation. According to Jenin Governor Qaddura Musa and NSF staff, the militant had been in voluntary PA custody for several months, seeking inclusion in the fugitives disarmament/amnesty deal, and left PA detention two months ago. President Abbas' Military Secretary said the killing complicates PA efforts to disarm PIJ activists. A West Bank PIJ spokesman condemned the incident as an "execution" and threatened "to avenge the killing at the proper time," while Gaza PIJ leaders claimed responsibility for four Qassam rockets that struck Israel on December 16. End summary. IDF Undercover Squad Kills PIJ Militant in Yamun (Area A) -------------- ¶2. (C) According to PA NSF staff, an undercover IDF squad operating in a white, Palestinian-plated Mercedes taxi shot and killed PIJ militant Jihad Nawahda in al-Yamun early December 16. Presidential Military Secretary BG Jihad Jayusi and NSF staff said the IDF did not give the PA notice of the operation; the only PA-IDF contact was an IDF request to pick up Nawahda's body after he was declared dead by IDF medical personnel. PIJ Activists Seek Inclusion in Fugitives Amnesty -------------- ¶3. (C) According to Jenin Governor Qaddura Musa and NSF staff, Nawahda had been in voluntary PA custody for several months. (Note: Several PIJ activists in Jenin and other West Bank cities have submitted to PA supervision on PA security compounds to avoid being targeted by IDF special units and the Shin Bet. End note). Musa said Nawahda and several other PIJ activists in Jenin sought to be included in the disarmament/amnesty deal for al-Aqsa Brigades fugitives, but the GOI has not responded to PA requests to allow this. Musa said Nawahda left PA detention two months ago after it became clear he would not be included in the amnesty deal. ¶4. (C) BG Jayusi and other PA security contacts complained that the killing makes it harder to disarm PIJ militants, who use IDF operations to justify retaining weapons. They said that, as the PA had no evidence that Nawahda had participated in attacks, and as membership in PIJ is not a crime under PA law, the PA had no legal basis to forcibly detain Nawahda after he left the compound where he was being supervised. PIJ Vows Revenge; 4 Qassams Hit Negev -------------- ¶5. (SBU) In December 16 statements, a West Bank PIJ spokesman condemned the incident as an "execution" of an unarmed activist and threatened "to avenge the killing at the proper time." Gaza-based PIJ spokesmen claimed responsibility for four Qassam rockets that struck Israel on December 16 (no injuries or property damage were reported) and said the rockets were a response to Nawahda's death. MARCHESE