VIOLENCE AGAINST CHRISTIAN INSTITUTIONS IN GAZA;

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000332

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2018
TAGS: KWBG PTER IS PHUM PGOV
SUBJECT: VIOLENCE AGAINST CHRISTIAN INSTITUTIONS IN GAZA;
HAMAS SECURITY DEEMED UNRESPONSIVE

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (SBU) Summary. In the second major attack on Gaza's
Christian institutions in a week, armed militants forced
their way into the Lighthouse Baptist School in central Gaza
City on February 21, beat one of the guards and vandalized
some classrooms. On February 15, gunmen detonated explosives
at the Gaza City YMCA, abducting its guards and burning the
facility to the ground. In both cases, the institutions'
managers said Hamas security officers pledged to protect the
facilities, but did not respond until after the intruders
fled. Gaza contacts uniformly report that the Dughmush clan
and its proxy, the "Army of Islam," are responsible for the
attacks. End summary.

Second Attack in a Week on
Gaza's Christian Institutions
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2. (SBU) Six armed militants forced their way into the
Lighthouse Baptist School in central Gaza City's Maydan
Falastin neighborhood on February 21, beat one of the guards
and vandalized some classrooms. School contacts report there
was no major damage, but the gunmen threatened to kill the
guards if they returned and made clear they targeted the
school because it is a Christian institution. (Note: While
the school is associated with the Baptist church and its
directors are Christian, nearly all of its students and staff
are Muslim. End note).


3. (SBU) The attack comes just a week after gunmen detonated
explosives at the Gaza City YMCA, abducting its guards and
burning the facility and its library of 8,000 book, to the
ground. In both cases, the institutions' managers said Hamas
security officers pledged to protect the facilities but did
not respond until after the intruders fled.


Gazans Finger "Army of Islam,"
Dughmush Clan
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4. (C) Gaza City PLC member Rawiya al-Shawwa (Independent)
told PolOff by phone on February 22 that security officials
told her the Dughmush clan is behind both of the attacks and
targeted the Christian institutions to embarrass Hamas. She
said police have identified three suspects in the Lighthouse
School attack, but the Dughmush clan refuses to turn them
over to police for questioning. Al-Shawwa said clan leader
Mu'ataz Dughmush believes Hamas leaders have reneged on
financial arrangements with the clan and is thus using the
clan's proxy, the "Army of Islam," to pressure Hamas by
causing public embarrassment.

Comment
--------------


5. (C) The "Army of Islam" has targeted Christian
institutions and foreigners for the past two years. Gaza
contacts uniformly believe the "Army" is behind both the YMCA
and Lighthouse School attacks. Hamas-Dughmush tension has
risen considerably in the past week, including Dughmush
attacks February 21 on a Hamas police patrol and fire toward
Hamas leader Mahmud al-Zahar's home.
WALLES