Iran's
Ongoing Attempt to Set Up a West Bank Terrorist Outpost Exposed
by Yaakov Lappin
Special to IPT News
January 9, 2018
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Israeli security
forces have uncovered a significant Iranian attempt to infiltrate the West
Bank and use it as a base for launching terrorist attacks and hostile
intelligence gathering operations against Israel.
The radical Shi'ite axis, led by Iran, has long held the ambition of
flooding the West Bank with weapons, terrorist cells, and espionage agents,
turning it into an active Iranian terror base.
In recent years, most of those efforts have seen Hizballah, Iran's chief
proxy in the region, attempt to create a footprint in the West Bank. Israel
has foiled multiple Hizballah attempts to set up terrorist cells among Palestinians, and recruit
them for bombings, shootings, and espionage. In one high profile case last
year, Shin Bet found that Hizballah's Unit 133, responsible for foreign
operations, was operating a social media recruitment program in the West
Bank and Israel in hopes of setting up terrorist cells for suicide bombings
and gun attacks.
Yet the latest plot to be broken up by Israel's Shin Bet domestic
intelligence agency shows direct involvement of Iranian intelligence agents
in orchestrating a Palestinian terrorist cell in Hebron.
Until now, most of the known Iranian attempts to promote Palestinian
terrorism played out in the Gaza Strip, Reuven Erlich, director of the Meir
Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center in Israel, told the
Investigative Project on Terrorism.
In recent days, the
Iranian Republican Guards Corps (IRGC)'s elite overseas unit called the
Quds Force released a propaganda video showing Gazan children
"thanking" Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani for his support.
"Until today, the connection to Iran was mostly seen in the Gaza
Strip, through Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and Hamas," Erlich
said.
Under Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, relations
between the PA, which governs most Palestinians in the West Bank, and Iran,
soured, Erlich said. Things were different under Abbas's predecessor,
Yasser Arafat. Iran "enjoyed a romance with the PA" during
Arafat's time, Erlich said, recalling Iranian weapons smuggling efforts,
including the Karine A weapons ship that was packed with arms destined for
the PA in 2002 when it was intercepted by Israel.
Today, however, the PA sees Iranian and Hizballah activities in the West
Bank as a "direct threat," Erlich said. Israel's "abilities
to take care of this threat" prevent Iran and its proxies from
realizing their vision of building a network of terrorist outposts in the
West Bank.
"The Iranians find it much easier and simpler to get to Gaza,
though they also have problems reaching it, with Egypt in the rear,"
Erlich said. Despite the Egyptian obstacle, Erlich warned, there has been a
"flood of declarations" by Iran, Hizballah, and Palestinian terrorist
factions in Gaza indicating a new level of cooperation among them.
Iran has, over the past months, transferred $100 million to Hamas and
PIJ, due to the fact that they "share the same vision about the State
of Israel," Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff, Lt.-Gen. Gadi
Eisenkot said in a recent speech.
From Iran to South Africa to Hebron
The Shin Bet announced last week that it had uncovered and foiled a
West Bank terrorist infrastructure "that was run by an Iranian
intelligence operative living in South Africa."
"The principal operative that was arrested is Mahmoud Makharmeh,
29, a computer engineering student, who resides in Hebron. He was recruited
for Iranian intelligence activity by a relative of his, Bakhar Makharmeh,
who is from Hebron, but who has been living in South Africa in recent
years," the Shin Bet stated.
"Iranian intelligence has been using South Africa as a significant
center for locating, recruiting and activating agents against Israel in
Judea and Samaria [the West Bank]," it added.
Acting on behalf of the Iranian intelligence agents, Bakhar Makharmeh
tried to recruit operatives in the West Bank and in Israel for espionage
and terrorist missions, according to the investigation.
Bakhar took advantage of a 2015 visit by his relative, Mahmoud, to South
Africa, and succeeded in recruiting him, the Shin Bet said. Mahmoud then
had several meetings with Iranian agents, "several of whom came from
Tehran especially to meet him."
Following his arrest, the IDF's Judea and Samaria Military Court charged
Mahmoud Makharmeh with several severe security crimes. The charge sheet
alleges that he worked to recruit suicide bombers and a shooting terrorist
cell. It also details his involvement in a training course for the use of
explosives and other weapons, and the opening of a computer store in Hebron
which was supposed to double as an Iranian intelligence gathering post.
Mahmoud Makharmeh allegedly recruited an Israeli Arab man to take
photographs in Israel. He also sent Israeli SIM cards and cash to the
Iranians – items that were apparently necessary for the next stage of
Iran's operations.
The Israeli charge sheet details how Mahmoud Makharmeh recruited two
Palestinians in Hebron, both aged 22, who agreed to join the Iranian-run
terrorist cell.
"Mahmoud received $8,000 from the Iranians to operate the
cell," the Shin Bet said.
The Iranians instructed him to also recruit residents of Israel, including journalists, because
they have access to official sites.
The two Palestinians recruited by Makharmeh were charged with conspiring
to join an illegal organization.
The investigation "underscores Iran's involvement in sponsoring
terrorism against Israel, and exposes Iran's efforts in various countries
in order to promote hostile activity against Israel," the Shin Bet
said.
Commenting on the investigation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "This is not the first time. They
are trying various methods, and in various fields, to attack the State of
Israel. I am pleased that the ISA [Shin Bet] and our security services have
succeeded in foiling it. I would like to bring it to your attention that
Iran is using terrorism against the State of Israel not only with the assistance
of terrorist movements such as Hamas, Hizballah and Islamic Jihad but is
also attempting to organize terrorist actions inside the State of Israel
and against the citizens of Israel."
Yaakov Lappin is a military and strategic affairs correspondent. He also
conducts research and analysis for defense think tanks, and is the Israel
correspondent for IHS Jane's Defense Weekly. His book, The
Virtual Caliphate, explores the online jihadist presence.
Related Topics: Recruitment
| Yaakov
Lappin, Iran,
Hizballah,
Shi'ite
axis, West
Bank terror cells, Shin
Bet, IRGC,
Qassem
Soleimani, Reuven
Erlich, Meir
Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, weapons
smuggling, Gadi
Eisenkot, Mahmoud
Makharmeh, Bakhar
Makharmeh, Benjamin
Netanyahu, Recruitment
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